The Secret
by StoryCrafter
Summary: Trixie knows that Timmy has a secret and is desperate to find out it is, but it may not be the one he thinks it. Plus Cindy Vortex has found out about fairy godparents. Rated T for language and some child abuse.
1. Being Pursued by the One You Love

Fairly Odd Parents and Jimmy Neutron copyright Viacom

Chapter 1: Being Pursued by the One You Love

Posted: 15 Feb 2005

Timmy Turner watched from his table Trixie Tang's every little movement as she chewed her lunch. It was then that he noticed that she was looking at him with a frown. More so than usual.

"Darn it. Does she like me or not," he asked rhetorically.

"The female heart is a treacherous landfill," Chester answered anyway. "I wouldn't go near it if I was you."

"Not me," A.J. said dreamily. "I have already found the girl for me."

"Oh, not Timantha again." Chester rolled his eyes. "She's never ever shown you the slightest interest, and now she's gone and isn't going to come back. Right, Timmy?"

Timmy, knowing exactly who Timantha was, drank his milk through a straw, so he wouldn't have to reply. So he didn't.

"Are you even listening to us, Timmy?"

"Guys," Timmy said suddenly. "I'm done with women."

"Good for you," Chester said.

"Oh, no you're not," a high pitched, squeally voice said. "You're still going have to marry me someday, Timmy Turner."

"What do you want, Tootie," Chester said.

"Yeah, can't you see that we're busy," asked A.J.

"At leas you can be assured that I'm not going to date another girl," Timmy said.

"Oh, I wasn't afraid of that," Tootie said simply. "I was just corncerned that you would take you even longer to acknowledge your love for me."

"What love for you?"

"Your love."

"Say, A.J.," Chester said. "Let's leave these lovebirds alone."

"Yes, Chester, we mustn't stand in the way of true love," A.J. said as he was making a truly true sacrifice. They snickered as they stood up. "See you around, Timmy." He turned to Tootie. "He's all yours."

"Guys, wait," Timmy cried after them. "I don't want to be left alone with her."

They didn't wait.

They left.

"Why can't you just leave me alone, Tootie?" Timmy said.

"What do you mean, Timmy Turner," Tootie demanded. "Why don't you like me?"

"Why do you like me so much?" Timmy retorted.

Tootie hesitated before answering. She sat down on the bench beside Timmy and knotted up her skirt with her hands. "You're the first person I ever saw to stand up to my evil sister."

"So?" he said, even though he was starting to see where this was going.

"It gave me hope." Tears were starting to well up in her eyes. "Now I don't have to be so afraid of Vicky anymore."

"Great," he sighed. "Timmy Turner, inspirer of girls, the world over."

He heard a girl clear her throat next to him. He looked up and saw who made the cough. "Trixie Tang?"

She hesitated before replying. "Tommy, there's something that I feel that I need, and unfortunately, I've got the feeling that you're the only one who can give it me."

"A pledge to get married," Timmy piped in, forgetting the unfortunate incident when he had wished that he and her would be the last on Earth, "so that we can be together forever and forever and forever and forever and for-"

Trixie cut him off by placing a couple fingers. "No, that isn't it. I think it's more like a secret."

"That's not me," Timmy said a little too much fast. "I don't have any secrets. Nope, not a one." Hopefully Trixie didn't notice.

"I wasn't operating under the assumption that you knew what it was," Trixie said stiffly.

"I thought I was your one true love, Timmy Turner." Tootie looked as if she was about to scold him.

"Now when did I say anything like that?" he said.

"Don't let me get in the way of your love life, Timmy," Trixie said. "But I do need to ask you a few questions."

The _few questions_ ended being an interrogation. "Do you have a girlfriend?" she asked staring straight into the eyes of Tootie, who was staring straight back.

"Yes, he does," Tootie snapped back. Then she glomped onto Timmy.

"Unfortunately," he tried to wiggle out of her hug, "I don't," he said referring to the fact that Trixie wasn't his girlfriend.

"Uh-huh," Trixie replied non-committedaly.

Timmy swallowed. She probably thought that Tootie was his girlfriend. Not good. It wasn't even true. Tootie was the second creepiest girl in Dimmsdale, next to her sister, Vicky. Icky with a V, as they say. Tootie wasn't his girlfriend. "She really isn't."

"Then why is she holdig onto like she is about to lose you."

"Because with any luck," Timmy strained against Tootie's grip, "she is."

"That doesn't look like it's happening any time soon."

"What's it to you, Trixie?"

"I can make her go away," Trixie replied with a sly grin.

"Yeah right, Trixie," Tootie said, her grasp on Timmy not slacking even the slightest. "You hate Timmy."

"I don't hate him. It's just his tirelessly courting me rather, well, tiresome."

"He's got the right idea." Tootie squeezed Timmy even tighter. "The more you cling to somebody the more they cling to you."

"It doesn't seem to be working," Timmy groaned after he had even attempting escape was impossible. "So what do you suggest, Trixie?"

"Date me."

Tootie released Timmy in her shock, and the whole lunchroom gasped. Did they hear that right? Trixie Tang actually asking Timmy Turner to be her boyfriend? Her face crimsoned as she heard the murmurs around the lunchroom.

"You would do that? For me?" Timmy asked earnestly.

Trixie took a deep breath. "No."

"Then why are you doing this?" He had taken the first opportunity for freedom and fled. Fortunately, Tootie didn't take the moment to latch back onto him. But then again, she hardly ever did. But she was probably as shocked by Trixie's pronouncement as everyone else.

"It kills two birds with one stone, Timmy Turner," she announced with her eyes closed shut. "First," she raised one finger, "dating would allow me time to pry The Secret from you, and two," she held up another finger, "it would be much simpler without another girl constantly pestering you."

"I'm not pestering him." She turned to Timmy. "Isn't that right, Timmy?"

He chose to ignore her. "If you're sure that will work…" He fiddled with his fork. "And that sounded like one bird to me."

"Of course it will work," Trixie sounded doubtful. "Why wouldn't it work?"

"Because I like him and you don't." She took hold of Timmy's sleeve. "Come on, Timmy, you don't have to stick here around here. Lunch is almost over, you know."

"I know," Timmy nodded. "But Trixie's talking to me, and I don't want it to stop."

"What does she got that I don't."

"She's pretty and she isn't creepy," Timmy said a bit naively.

"Men," Tootie said in a puff. Then she left.

"Uh oh." Timmy didn't know what he had done, but he knew that he was going to somehow pay of it.

Trixie smiled, obviously pleased. "I told you I could rid of her."

"No, you didn't."

"Oh, didn't I?" She did not elaborate.

Timmy sighed. "Twenty questions time, I guess."

Trixie leaned in closer. "Have you seen your mother naked?"

"What?"

"It would be a big, embarrassing secret, wouldn't it?"

"Actually, no. What I meant was, who hasn't seen my mother naked?"

"That can't be true," Trixie gasped.

Timmy smiled knowingly.

-OOO-

"Is it true, Timmy," Timmy's pink book asked.

"No, of course not."

"Then why did you say that it was," the green one asked.

"Oh, but I didn't."

"Then why did you-"

"I only implied that I did." He shivered from the memory of seeing his mother naked. In photos of her in the photo album that his parents kept showing people.

"Ha," Trixie exclaimed. "I knew you were exgrating."


	2. Cindy and the Fairy

fubukis-wraph, thanks for the review.

AnT: I don't think that Trixie would lie, even though she does have that tomboy thing that doesn't want known. She basically wears her heart on her sleeve. And yes I do know that if Cindy found out the Timmy had fairies, they would go away forever. But I never said it was his fairies that she had found. ;)

Thanks for the summaries of Timmy's love interests by the way.

Fairly Oddparents and Jimmy Neutron copyright Viacom

Chapter 2: Cindy and the Fairy

Posted: 28 Feb 2005

Cindy was taking another opportunity to make a complete fool of herself in front of Jimmy. She had announced that she was going give a press conference at the town hall at six. The topic was supposed to be a secret. But word had already leaked that she was going to announce that she had proof for the existence of fairy godparents. Who that Cindy could be so deranged? Jimmy wouldn't miss this conference for the world.

But he could have waited a little before coming to the city hall. The town hall chamber was completely empty except for one lone tall, blonde woman. Needless to say, he felt a little foolish. The woman was frowning. "You're here a little early, ain't ya?"

"I guess that I had been a bit over-enthusiastic," Jimmy smiled sheepishly.

"The first to charge to enemy is the first to die," the woman quipped.

"But the attacker has the advantage," Jimmy replied.

"But it counts for naught if the attacker has no target."

Jimmy shook his head. "Just what did you want from me?"

"You get straight to the point, don't you?"

Jimmy said nothing.

"Very well then. I think you should listen to what Cindy will have to say."

"Why is that?"

"You'll see," the woman said and left.

What the heck was that all about? And who was that woman? Jimmy rubbed his hands in glee. There wasn't much he enjoyed more than solving a mystery. And now two had just fallen right into the lap.

He picked a chair in the front row and sat right in it. Cindy's show was one not-to-miss. The first townsfolk started to filter in. Jimmy grinned evilly. He wouldn't miss for the Theory of Everything.

An hour, with the town hall so full that people were standing in the aisles, Cindy Vortex walked out onto the stage. There was stopped by and had a chat with a mayor.

"Wow, Jimmy," Carl said at his right, scanning the crowd. "Cindy's speech really sold out!"

"They sold tickets for this event!" Jimmy roared.

Libby shrugged. She was sitting on Jimmy's left beside Sheen. "There had to be some way to pay for all that research."

"Research, huh?" Jimmy gloated. "This ought to be rich."

Cindy stopped chatting with the mayor and went to her seat behind the podium. Then the mayor greeted some dignitaries, including General Abercombe and Senator Smithy. Jimmy arched an eyebrow. A senator. Oh my, this is must be important.

Maybe there were such thing as fairy godparents after all. Or maybe it was just wishful thinking by the government. Such things happened all the time.

The government was too foolish and mired in bureaucratic nonsense to be involved in secret conspiracies. Jimmy had experience with such matters.

He knew what he was talking about.

He checked his watch. 5:59. Good. Cindy was going to complete fool of herself in front of all these people any minute. Not for the first time that night he was glad he had come.

Soon the small talk was over and the dignitaries and the mayor went to the seats. Principal Willougby stood at the podium. "Welcome citizens of Retroville. It has been my honor to serve as the principal of Linghbergh Elementary for the past five years. And through all those years, I never had another student as brilliant as Cindy Vortex."

Jimmy stood up in a huff. "Excuse me! What you mean you 'had never had another student as brilliant as Cindy Vortex'? I'm twice as brilliant than she'll ever hope to be."

Cindy stood as well. "You have facts and figures to back that statement up?" scoffed.

"Of course." Jimmy grinned slyly. "Of course I do. Goddard," he said into his wrist communicator, "come to town hall with folder 2-B-56."

"Arf, arf," Goddard replied.

"Good boy."

Cindy was tapping her foot. "Are we done yet?"

"Until Goddard gets here."

"Good." She turned to the principle. "Can you skip the introduction? Everyone here knows who I am."

"Ain't that the truth?" everyone in the hall said.

"Somehow," Cindy said, "that sounded rather onimus."

"Yes, you're probably right, Cindy," Willougby said. He motioned for her to come forward. She did and Principal Willoughby returned to his seat.

Cindy stood behind the podium. "I had said earlier that I was going to talk about fairy godparents." She looked across her audience. "Well, I lied.

"I have found proof of fairy godparents. But this demonstration is about more. I found a portal "(The lights went out and white screen was lowered from the ceiling.)" that connects our world with that of Timmy Turner's." She turn on an overhead projection of a diagram of a blue hour-glass-shaped object. It had been labeled 'Inter-Dimensional Gateway' in purple ink. "Something felt weird when I have been visiting Mrs. Neutron lately."

"You've been visiting my mother?"

"Hey, I like spending time with her, okay?" She returned to the diagram. "This isn't a true representation as both ends are spherical in shape. Like a softball, only much bigger. I'm not sure how much bigger. But it's at least big enough to pass a ten-year-old boy through. If we… Please, Britney, hold your questions til the end."

Jimmy turned. Britney was standing with her hand in the air. She was already lowering it when he had turned to her. "But you were saying that Timmy Turner was from another world."

"So?"

"He looked perfectly human."

Cindy shook her head sadly. "Looks could be very deceiving, Britney."

"Cindy," Jimmy said, "I know that Timmy is from another universe. But what does it have to do with fairies? Everyone already knows that fairies don't exist."

Cindy sighed wistfully. "I had thought that he was a genius." There was a murmur of agreement to that amongst the crowd. "But after much soul-searching I realized that was… blinded by love. He's as much a dunderhead as the others that Jimmy hangs around."

"Who's she talking about, Jimmy?" Carl whispered in his ear.

Jimmy thought it best not to answer.

Cindy continued. "If Timmy wasn't so smart than how did he get into your lab, Jimmy Neutron?"

_That's the easiest question in the world_, he thought. He opened his mouth to answer. When he realized he didn't know the answer to that easy question, he froze.

When he saw Cindy smirk at him, he bristled. How dare she?

"Okay, I don't know," he finally admitted. "But that still doesn't mean it has anything to do with fairies."

Cindy's smirked grew bigger. "And here I thought you'd never ask for proof." She nodded to a unseen someone offstage. "Here's the proof that you seek."

Onto the stage marched a very proud Mrs. Vortex holding a large birdcage that was covered by a white cloth. As Jimmy watched her marched her way to Cindy, he held his breath. It couldn't be!

Cindy pointed to her mother. "Mom here was watering her plants when she noticed that didn't belong." When Mrs. Vortex reached the podium, Cindy turned it over to her.

"Thinking it was a weed, I reached down to pull it out. You can imagine my surprise when I found this instead." She pulled back the cloth to reveal…

A curly-green-haired humanoid creature about the size of a ten-year-old with a crown and wings and a wand floated inside.

The audience gasped.

Just like the ones that Timmy had.

"My god," he breathed.


	3. Girl Troubles

AnT, as you will see, Jimmy isn't convinced that fairies are real. He's just surprised to see Timmy's holograms again.

Magic, he didn't find out about Timmy's fairies. He thinks that they're holograms.

Amaya, fubukis-wraph, thanks for the reviews.

Fairly Oddparents and Jimmy Neutron copyright Viacom

Chapter 3: Girl Troubles

Written: 28 Feb 2005-12 Mar 2005

Posted: 13 Mar 2005

"Just what is that thing?" Jimmy asked when he had recovered. "A hologram? Like the ones that Timmy has."

"Hardly, Neutron," Cindy sounded almost amused. "Why don't you come up and give this fairy a poke, or whatever it is that you do?"

"If that it is a real fairy," Jimmy snickered, "then I don't think that would be a very good idea."

"Thank you," the "fairy" said. "Even us holograms have feelings too."

"Quiet you," Cindy snapped. "You haven't indicated that you were a hologram until Jimmy mentioned it."

"Ah. Right. That." The "fairy" fiddled with its hands. "Well, you see, I… I forget. That's it. I forgot."

"Likely story, Bub," Cindy replied. "Look. Admit that you're a fairy, and I'll let you go."

"Never!" the "fairy" said boastfully.

"I am curious about one thing though," Jimmy said. "This one looks the ones that Timmy had. Have you been in my lab without my knowledge?"

"Oh like I'll ever admit to you that," Cindy answered. "If I ever want to sneak into your lab, which I won't, I wouldn't tell _you_ about it. Even after the fact."

"Then where did you get that incrediblely life-like simulation of a fairy then?"

"If you've never seen a fairy then how do you know if it's life-like or not?"

"Ohm." As Jimmy struggled for an answer, the arrival of Goddard with the document he had requested went totally unnoticed. His barks to get his master's attention went unheeded. Jimmy finally gave in on that point. "Well, alright, maybe it isn't so life-like. But where did you get it?"

"My Mom showed him to me."

"Okay, then where she did get it?"

"I found it in the garden, like I said," Mrs. Vortex said. "In my day, young man, children always listen to their elders."

"Yes, I did hear what you said, Mrs. Vortex. But…" A thought occurred to him. "Who would leave such a wondrous device in your garden?"

Mrs. Vortex shrugged as her daughter answered. "How should we know? We had just a fairy in the garden. We didn't think to ask where it came from."

"Perhaps you should have." The woman that Jimmy had met earlier had stood up. "The answer would open up new worlds to explore."

OOO-

"Do you have any interesting relatives that you would want to share with me, Mr. And Mrs. Turner?" Trixie asked at their dinner table after listening to them talk about their jobs.

"Well… there's my Uncle Earl," Mrs. Turner said. "He has a sardine plant in Shebogan. We took Timmy on a tour last summer."

Timmy groaned. Why did she have to remind him of the unfortunate sardine plant incident? Now that was one experience that was best forgotten.

"Just how are sardines interesting?" Trixie asked innocently. "They don't sound very interesting to me."

"Are you kidding?" Mr. Turner asked. "It's almost exciting as pencil pushing." It was at this point that Timmy's fall onto his mashed potatoes and peas. Why couldn't he just nod off into sleep? Meanwhile his father continued to blubbered on about the joys of sardine packing. Timmy barely heard a word. He had only listened to this splew for what had to be a billion times already.

He simply didn't understand his father's fascination with small salted, canned fish.

"Timmy Turner," his mother's voice broke his reveille, "that's not we eat our dinner around here," she scolded.

Timmy looked up. Trixie was giggling and his parents were frowning at him. Some bits of food fell from his face. "Do you have to talk about that in front of Trixie?"

"What else do you expect us to talk about, Sport," Mr. Turner said. "Your mad cousin Willie, who once massacred an entire family. Eeaugh!"

Trixie's eyes lit up. "Really?"

Timmy was equally as surprised. "I have a cousin named Willie?"

"Yes you do, Timmy," Mrs. Turner sighed. "But we won't have any more talk about him. Isn't that right, Honey," she turned to Mr. Turner.

"Yes, that's right," he agreed.

"But not everyone had blood-thirsty fiend for a cousin," Timmy said.

"And not everyone has one for a nephew," Mrs. Turner said. "Which is why we don't talk about him." She looked askew at her husband, who pretended not to notice. "Right, honey," she insisted.

"That's right," he replied confidently. Until he apparently that he was the one who brought the subject up. "Oh. Right." He smiled sheepishly. "My bad."

Trixie looked disappointed.

"What's wrong, Trixie?" Timmy asked.

"If you didn't know about your cousin Willey, then he can't be the secret you have," she sighed. "More hanging with you and not with my friends." She considered. "Or it could it?"

"Secret?" Mr. Turner asked. "What's this about a secret?"

"Timmy has a secret and I'm going to find out it is," Trixie declared.

Mrs. And Mr. Turner looked at each with worry in their eyes. Then they looked back at Trixie. "Are you so intent on uncovering Timmy's secret, Trixie?" Mrs. Turner asked.

Trixie paused before answering. "I think that it will change my life."

A hush descended on the table. Timmy shifted his weight in his chair. Trixie noticed the awkward of the situation and blushed. "It's not what you think."

"I'm sure it isn't," Mrs. Turner said.

"That must be some secret," Mr. Turner observed.

"But what makes you so sure that this secret will change your life?"

"I just know."

"Ho-kay." Suddenly, Timmy realized it would be be best if he finished his dinner in silence. Apparently, so did everyone else. There was no more discussion at the dnner time.

Until there was a knock at the five minutes later.

"I'll get it," Timmy said at once. He winced. It had been an automatic response. He sighed when he saw that no one was getting up. Best think fast. "Ahh, it be Dinkleberg giving you his unconditional surrender."

"Fat chance of that happening," Mr. Turner as he stood up. "But I'll go see it who is." He left for the front door.

"Do you usually have visitors at dinner time," Trixie asked casually.

"Actually you would be surprised," Timmy replied, just as casually.

"Timmy," Mr. Turner called from the front door, "it's for you."

"Excuse me, ladies." Turner pushed his chair from the table. "I'm wanted at the door."

"Okay," Mrs. Turner said. "But don't slide your chair around like that. It isn't good for it."

Chastised, Timmy lowered her head. "Sorry, Mom."

She left the dining room to go to the front door where his father waited for him. "You sure are popular, Champ," Mr. Turner said when Timmy reached him. "This is third girl already." Actually, Trixie was only the second one. Tootie had come by earlier.

"Who is this time? Veronica?" he joked as looked out to see who it was.

It seemed more like a premonition when he found Veronica standing there in the rain, pretty much miffed and shifty-eyed. It apparently didn't help that she had forgot to bring a raincoat and her cheerleader outfit was soaked through. "I know she's here. Were are you hiding her?"

"Hiding who?"

"Trixie."

"If wanted Trixie," Mr. Turner said, "why didn't you just say so?"

"Yeah, Veronica, we're not hiding anyone here," Timmy said.

Veronica eyed him suspiciously. "Can I come in, Mr. Turner?"

"Sure thing, Veronica. Trixie's in the dining room."

"Thank you, Mr. Turner."

Veronica didn't wipe her feet as she entered the Turners' home and lean her head toward Timmy. "I'm announce to Trixie my plans for you." Timmy swallowed. At least Jimmy didn't have this kind of girl trouble.

OOO-

"What new worlds?" Jimmy replied. "All I heard from these two is pure nonsense. And never mind those weird spatial effects coming my lab, Cindy. I'm communicating with Timmy via an inter-dimensional hotline on a regular basis." He snorted. "And I visit our neighboring planets in the Solar System once a month or so. So it's not exactly a big deal to open up a new world. And still listening still isn't going to do that.

"What it requires is a ride on a spaceship. Which I could provide for a worthy enough cause."

"Like visiting Brobot on the moon," Carl pointed out.

"We're not going to the moon, Carl."

"Oh why not, Jimmy? He is your brother."

"Your son," the lady corrected. "You created him, so he is your child." She smiled. "And so is your dog is trying to give you that paper you asked for."

Jimmy looked at Goddard, who had the document in his mouth and was pawing his legs, and blushed. "Oh, thanks, boy." He retrieved it from Goddard and turned back the woman. "That seems a little simplistic, doesn't it?"

She shrugged. "Sometimes simple is best."

"Wait a minute," Cindy said, tapping her foot. "Just who are you, anyway?"

"Oh let me introduce myself." She bowed. "I'm Marie Arquette, parapsychologist extraordinaire."

Jimmy snorted in response.

"What's parapsychologist?" Sheen wondered aloud.

Carl shrugged.

"A 'scientist' who delves into the paranormal," Jimmy replied. "In other words…

a crackpot."

"Oh I wouldn't be so dismissive if I were you Jimmy," Marie replied. "There's proof staring you in the eyes there."

"That's only proof that Timmy's hologram are more prevalent than I had thought."

"If that's a hologram, then how does it work?"

"That's a good question," Jimmy decided. "One that I hope I find the answer to.

"And Brobot is not my son."


	4. Jimmy Makes Contact

Thanks for the reviews, AnT and Magic.

Magic, I didn't really have Jimmy deny that. It seemed like something that he would do. And it seemed like the perfect place to end the chapter.

Fairly Oddparents copyright Viacom

Chapter 4: Jimmy Makes Contact

Written: 27 Mar 2005-8 Apr 2005

Posted: 12 Apr 2005

"So, Veronica, what are you doing here?" Trixie asked when Veronica was shown into the kitchen.

"Actually I was going to ask the same thing, Trixie."

"You know Trixie Tang?" Mr. Turner sounded astonished. Timmy wondered why. Veronica was a cheerleader. Of course she knew Trixie Tang. Everybody did. So of course a cheerleader would.

"Of course I know her," Veronica boasted. "She's my best friend."

Trixie hesitated. _What is going tell Veronica,_ Timmy wondered. Hopefully it wouldn't something to set her off. "I'm in love with Timmy Turner, Veronica," she finally said.

Timmy watched Veronica closely. She was secretly in love with him. He knew because he had overheard her say that while he was in her computer. He hadn't hacked it. He had wished himself unto the Internet with the help his fairy godparents.

But she had confirmed it when she had read his threatmatic e-mail to Trixie back to him.

"You can't be in love with him. I'm in love with him," Veronica snapped.

Trixie smiled serenely. "Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. I've always been sure!"

"Then why haven't you told him already?" Trixie asked softly.

Veronica opened her mouth, but apparently she couldn't think of anything to say as she didn't say anything for a while. After about a minute of waiting, Timmy started to think that she wouldn't say anything. That she would just stand there like a fish waiting a meal.

That was when she said, "How would you know that I haven't said anything?" She glared at her best friend. "As matter of fact, I did tell him."

Trixie took a glance at Timmy, who was nodding. "Okay, then why haven't you told _me_?"

"I was afraid, Trixie. Timmy's not exactly the most perfct catch around."

"Then why are you in love with me?" Timmy asked, but nobody paid him any heed.

"But I'm your best friend," Trixie said. "I would have understood."

Veronica looked away. "I couldn't take that chance."

"Well why not?" Timmy demanded. "I don't let the fact that she's popular and I'm not get in the way of our romance."

"You sure don't," Trixie said ruefully. "Though I wish that you would."

Timmy eyed her. "But you just said that you loved me."

"Not enough to date you."

"But discovering my secret, whatever that is, is?"

Trixie nodded.

"Oh just great. The girl of my dreams isn't going out with me for love, but for my secret."

"Secret?" Veronica blinked. "What secret?"

"The secret that Trixie claims that I have and won't share."

Veronica took in a sharp breath. "Trixie. Why aren't you interested in _my_ secrets?"

"I already know them all."

OOO-

The lady smiled indulgently. "Of course not." She curtsied. "Well, I have said what I have come to say. So I'll take my leave now." She turned to leave.

"Wait. Just who the heck are you?"

She looked back with a grandmaternal smile. "Now why you would to unsettle yourself with that sort of thing?"

Jimmy was speechless as he watched the mysterious lady disappear.

"Okay," Cindy said. "That was weird."

"There are a lot strange characters around Retroville," Jimmy mused.

"Okay, Mr. Smartypants, explain all the wormhole activity coming from your house lately."

"Well that's easy, Cindy. I've been keeping in contact with Timmy Turner."

Cindy's eyes lit up when she heard Timmy's name. "Oh really? What has he been saying about me?"

"Nothing really." Only because whenever Timmy Turner asked about Cindy, Jimmy would always change the subject.

A predatory gleam came to Cindy's eyes. "You're going to have to show me how it works sometime."

"Yes yes," Mayor Quasar said. "That is a most excellent suggestion."

Jimmy sighed. There seemed to be no choice. "Alright. I'll make the arrangements right away."

"Oh, can see a copy of that document?"

"Of course, Cindy. It's only a copy."

An hour later, Jimmy returned with Goddard from his laboratory. They walked out onto the stage form the left.

"So what do you have for us, Neutron?" Cindy asked.

"Just the data that _you_ asked for, Vortex."

Cindy nodded. Slightly. "Okay. Let's see what you got."

"Very well. Goddard."

He craned his neck upward and projected a holograph overhead. The holograph that was projected consisted of mass of equations and charts that well over the heads of all that were assembled in the town hall.

"Oops," Jimmy said.

"Oops? Is that all got to say, Neutron?"

He rubbed the back of his head. "Well it seems that I have forgotten to turn the data into a form that is understandable to the layman."

"Fix it," Cindy snapped.

"Oh, Cindy," Jimmy said in a mocked-wounded tone. "I thought you knew me better than that."

OOO-

Veronica's arms were crossed and she was looking away with her eyes shut. "I still got secrets that you don't know about."

Trixie didn't respond.

"I can go into the next room and show you."

"But what good will that do?" Timmy asked. "If you share all your secrets with Veronica, you wouldn't have any left."

"I wasn't going share all them with her."

Trixie's face grew pale. "You would keep secrets from me, Veronica? Your best friend."

"You've kept secrets from me."

A hush suddenly dropped onto the consveration. Mrs. Turner was about to sip her tea when the silence so rudely intruded. She carefully set it down onto the coffee table. The Turners and their guests were sat around the living room, sipping tea and eating ice cream. Mr. And Mrs. Turner were sipping tea. Everyone else had already finished their ice cream. "This isn't the time or place for that," she admonished.

Veronica blushed. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to cause a ruckuss."

"That's all right," Trixie said quietly. "I don't have any secrets of my own. Everyone knows everything about me."

"That can't be true," Timmy said. "You're rich, Trixie. The rich have all sorts of secrets that they zealously hide from the press."

"That's not necessarily true, Timmy. Some have their secrets wrenched from them no matter how hard they try to keep it from happening." She sighed wistfully. "Sometimes I wish I never been born rich." Then she smiled. "But only sometimes."

"Oh of course." But Timmy began to wonder if Trixie really did wish she were poor. Or if she sometimes just felt that way. Oh well, there was just one way to find out.

Ask Cosmo and Wanda of course.

But first he had to get a moment alone with them. Both Trixie and Veronica were frequently glancing at him. And he couldn't quite read the expressions on their faces, but he could tell that he didn't them. He had to think up a clever excuse to get out of there.

"I have to use the bathroom," he said suddenly.

"Will you be long?" Trixie wondered.

"Yes." Timmy was amazed. Trixie had just done the impossible and become even more wonderful in his eyes. She had just given a way to get more time to talk with his fairies. "I just might."

"Hope you're not bulimic," Veronica joked.

"What?" she asked innocently when saw the look on everyone's face.

_Ha, ha. Real funny_, Timmy thought. "You four will be all right without me?"

"Of course, Dear," Mrs. Turner replied. "Now hurry before you make a mess in your pants."

Timmy's cheeks burned as Trixie and Veronica shared a snicker together. He sighed before getting up and heading for the bathroom. Jeez, Mom didn't have to say that. In front of Trixie no less.

Once he was in the safety and privacy of the bathroom, he took his fishbowl from the usual place, and Wanda and Cosmo changed from fishes and appeared in the air. "What seems to be the trouble, Sport?" Wanda asked. "Trixie's in your house and-"

"Everything! That's what."

"Ah could you be more a little specific?" Cosmo pointed out. "'Everything' covers a lot of territory you know."

"Actually," Timmy confessed. "I'm afraid that I would make a complete fool of myself in font of her."

"Why worry, Timmy? It hasn't stop you before," Cosmo laughed.

"Cosmo," Wanda chided, "that isn't helping."

"But, Wanda, I was just trying to cheer him up. Like I always say, you can't get an apple cart without trying," Cosmo said with authority.

"I never heard you that, Cosmo," Timmy said.

"The last time was almost two hundred years ago," Wanda said.

"Oh." He sighed. "But what am I going to do?"

"Be yourself."

"That's it? I keep that from every adult I meet. Don't you have anything else?"

Wanda shrugged. "What can I say? It's good advice."

Totally unsatisfied with the advice that he had been given, Timmy returned to the party in the living room.

"Did you make it?" Trixie asked with a twinkle in her eye.

"Yes," he said wearily as he sat back into his chair. Then he looked straight in her eye. "You don't love me, do you?" Timmy wanted her to love him. Would sell his left kidney to have her say those three words to him: "I love you."

But he didn't any illusions about it.

Trixie said nothing. She just stared back. Timmy had never had any inkling that someone's stare could so hard. He started sweating. He very much wanted to look away, but he didn't dare. Fortunately for him, Trixie's stare softened at that point, and her lips started to quiver. She looked away.

"I do," she said quietly. "But I don't know as what."

The phone rang.

Mr. Turner picked it up. "Turner residence."

OOO-

Jimmy sat at the computer terminal in his lab and waited while VOX made the connection to Timmy's world. The town hall meeting had gone better than he had hoped. After the incident with the improperly sorted date, he took thirty minutes to look through and make a coherent and informative presentation for the citizens of Retroville that proved his point. That the only reason for the wormhole activity was to keep in contact with Timmy Turner.

Jimmy had certainly made some strange friends over the years.

He had to tell Timmy about Cindy's delusions. _Fairies, indeed_, he scoffed.

When the green light turned on, he picked up the phone and listened to the dial tone. There was only ring before the phone on the other end was picked up. "Turner residence."

"This is Jimmy Neutron, Mr. Turner," he said. "Is Timmy avaible?"

"Of course." Jimmy heard in the background say that the phone was for Timmy.

"Hello," Timmy's voice suddenly came onto the line. Just how far had he been when Jimmy called.

"Hi, Timmy. Sorry that we didn't get a chance to talk yesterday."

"That's all right. You've probably got all sorts of experiments that you have to keep running. And I thought you were calling a little early."

Jimmy took a look at the clock and grimaced. Apparently he had looked at the New York clock instead of the Retroville clock. "Would you prefer to wait? I can call back later."

"No, that's alright, Jimmy. I have some guests over I would look you to meet."


	5. Places to Be

AnT, I fully intended to have Veronica have a spaz attack, but it never materialized. Oh well!

Lavenderpaw, I would love to read your work, but it's such a strain to read. Why don't put spaces between your sentences?

Fairly Oddparents and Jimmy Neutron copyright Viacom

Chapter 5: Places to Be

Written: 11 May 2005-15 May 2005

Posted: 16 May 2005

Edited: 31 July 2007

Both Mom and Dad were at work, and so Tootie had been left alone at home with her terrible sister, Vicky. She clutched her Timmy doll closer to her chest. Vicky had been particularly nasty today. She had locked Tootie in her room with a chamber pot and a water bottle. _What was all that about?_ Tootie wondered. Vicky had said something about having a date that night, but there was no way that any boy would date Vicky. Not even blackmail seemed to be working.

Oh well. At least she had all her Timmy dolls to play with. But for some reason she had only one with her face on it. Not that she needed another Tootie doll. But maybe Timmy needed one to remind him of his destiny to marry her. Gosh knew he needed it.

There was a knock at her door. "What is it?" Tootie asked, knowing full well the answer couldn't hold any good for her.

"Tootie! Get out here!" Vicky screamed.

"I can't, Vicky," Tootie responded gently. "You locked the door."

"Oh, right." Tootie heard the jiggling of the lock and the removing of the boards. Then the door was thrown open. "NOW get out here."

Vicky was carrying a white box, which made Tootie nervous.

Tootie nodded meekly and complying with her big sister's demand, clutching the doll even closer to her chest. "Yes, Vicky?"

"Get ready, twerp. Your date is here."

"Timmy?"

"It's not Timmy," Vicky sneered.

"That's mean," Tootie squeaked. "Even for you."

"It's your own stupid fault for assuming that it was that stupid twerp in the first place."

"Well, I'm dating anyone else."

"If I'm going to be miserable, then so are you."

"You won't take away my Timmy dolls, will you?"

"I will let you have all the Timmy dolls you wanted." Vicky grinned. "We wouldn't want you to forget the face of your one true love that you're never see again, now would we?"

"You wouldn't! You couldn't!"

"Oh yes, I would and most certainly could, sister of mine." She opened the box and display the party dress inside. It had spaghetti-strapped pink bodice on top of a red skirt. Tootie thought it was very pretty.

But she crossed her arms and raised her chin in the air. "I'm not wearing that dress." Except to be with Timmy of course, but she didn't that say that part.

"Look, Tootie. Either you put on this dress or I will. Either way you wearing on your date tonight."

Tootie didn't budge an inch.

"You asked for it." Vicky leisurely glided toward the bed and put the box on it. "I have no qualms about ripping all your clothes off you after all."

But instead of grabbing Tootie's sleeves and yanking, she kneeled down and started unbuttoning Tootie's blouse, after slipping her black jacket off. With tender loving care, no less. Tootie was surprised, but she didn't dare ask about it. After Vicky got to the last button, she gingerly pulled the blouse out of Tootie's skirt. Then she gingerly pulled the blouse off of Tootie's shoulders and threw it behind her own shoulder. After the blouse was off and Tootie completely topless, Vicky hesitated.

"What is it, Vicky?" Tootie asked with concern, even though she knew that she really shouldn't. Perhaps she should have been taking the oppurnity to make an escape despite her shirtless state. But she was genuinely wanting what the matter was. Especially when tears started to form in Vicky's eyes.

"It's nothing. Really."

"But you can tell me. I'm your sister."

"No, I wouldn't want to ruin your date." Vicky unbuttoned and unzipped Tootie's plaid skirt and fell around her feet, leaving Tootie in just glasses, panties and a pair of shoes. Vicky lifted one of Tootie's feet to start removing that pair of shoes, but Tootie raised raised her hand. "I can do that, Vicky. I'm tired of being treated like a baby."

Vicky smiled. "I thought would feel that way." She stood up. "Don't take too long. Your date is waiting."

"Who is this date you have arranged for me, Vicky?" Tootie asked as she removed her shoes.

"Just some boy from your school who was so desperate for a date that he would even date you." Vicky was holding the party dress up. "Now get dressed. You look ridiculous in those pink panties."

Tootie blushed. "But where the new shoes?"

"I'll give you them when they pick us up."

"Us?" Tooties squeaked.

"I'm going to be your chaperone!"

-OOO-

Timmy gave the phone to Veronica first. His parents had already talked with Jimmy before, and Timmy wanted a chance to be alone with Trixie. He brought her into the kitchen where the dishes from supper were already soaking in the sink. Trixie waited for Timmy to say something. But not patiently. She was tapping her foot.

_Better make this quick_.

"You meant what said out there, right? About you loving me?"

Trixie didn't say a word, but she did stop tapping her foot.

"Please. It's important. I have to know."

"So do I, Timmy. So do I." Trixie turned and left.

Timmy was left standing in the kitchen, wondering what he had said wrong. After a half a minute of deep (for him anyway) introspection, he went to the living room after her, only to find her gone and the phone back on its cradle. And Veronica was still there. "Where did Trixie go?"

"She went to your father's study," his mother said.

"Dad has a study?"

Mrs. Turner nodded.

"Just great. My future soul mate has gone to a room I've never heard of." Dejected, he sat next to Veronica on the couch.

"Don't listen to a word that woman tells you," she whispered, causing Timmy to jump. "She's never loved you, and she never will."

"Who? Mom?"

"No. Trixie. She's using you."

"Me. What for? I haven't got anything that she would want, except for that mysterious secret she wants. But I don't she want good that secret would do her." He prayed it wasn't the existence of Cosmo and Wanda that she was after.

"She thinks that you are the road to Timantha."

Timmy swallowed. He wasn't the road to Timantha. He _was_ Timantha.

-OOO-

"So where exactly are you calling from, Jimmy?" Trixie asked from the phone.

"From my underground lab in Retroville," Jimmy replied almost matter-in-factly, while in fact it was his greatest accomplishment. Aside from Goddard of course.

"Like A.J.'s?"

"Not exactly," Jimmy replied, wondering how she had found about it. "My lab is hardly a secret. I tell everyone I meet about it."

"Is that wise?"

"Why wouldn't it?"

"A.J. kept his secret, and…" Trixie trailed off obviously unable to think of anything. "Well, your technology might fall into the wrong hands. Or worse someone might suddenly pop into your lab," she said suddenly with absolute assurance.

"Don't worry about it, Trixie. I have elaborate safeguards to prevent from happening." Actually Trixie's concerns had reminded Jimmy of the time that Timmy had suddenly popped into his lab from nowhere. Jimmy still hadn't figured out how he had done it.

Trixie sounded relieved. "That's good. I need your with something."

"What?"

"There someone I need to find."

"Who?"

"Timantha."

"Uh… Timantha who?"

"I don't know. She didn't give me her last name."

Jimmy sighed. "Could you come over to help me looking for this friend of yours?"

"But I don't even know where you live."

"Don't worry, Trixie. I can pick you up at Timmy's."

"Cool."

"So when should I pick you up?"

A pause. "How does eight o'clock tomorrow evening sound?"

"That sounds good. See you then."

With an agreement reached, they concluded the phone call. After he had hung up, Jimmy said, "She seems more reasonable than her friend Veronica." For some reason Veronica's voice gave him the creeps.

-OOO-

"Not the pictures," Timmy groaned. "Anything but the pictures."

"The human body is nothing to be ashamed of young man. I could rip off all my clothes right now and not feel the slightest thread of shame."

Mrs. Turner looked uneasily toward their two guests. "Perhaps you shouldn't, dear. We have two ladies present."

"But I wasn't going to," Mr. Turner said in an apparent attempt to mollify his wife. It seemed to work. She nodded that she was pleased before sipping her tea. "Your Mom and I took these pictures so we'll show them to people every chance we get."

"What pictures would those be, Mr. Turner?" Veronica asked.

"Here it comes," Timmy moaned.

"The ones from our vacation to Palo Alto Nudist Resort last month."

Trixie sprayed tea from her mouth. "You went to a nudist resort, Timmy?"

"Last month?" Veronica asked.

"No they did. But they did spend a lot of time in the buff afterward." Timmy shivered from the memory of his mother in the nude.

"Where did you stay?" Trixie asked.

"At A.J.'s."

Veronica looked to Mrs. Turner. "Why did you go to a Nudist Resort?"

"So we could in touch with the real us, of course," Mr. Turner replied. "But some reason Timmy didn't want to go. Said it would be way too freaky or something."

"It would have been," Timmy said. "And it was." He shivered. Boy had it ever been freaky! Who wanted to see their mother naked?

Not Timmy Turner.

"I'm going to my room." He got up and went to the stairs. Nobody had paid him any heed as he left. Not even Trixie.

When he reached, his fairy godparents were waiting for him. "What's the matter, sport?" Wanda asked.

"Mom and dad our showing pictures of their last vacation to Trixie and Veronica."

"Look on the bright side, Timmy," Cosmo said cheerfully. "At least you aren't in any of them."

"That's true," Timmy had to admit. "But what am I going to do now?"

"Do nothing and hope for the best," Wanda replied reasonably.

"Like I said," Timmy said. "What am I going to do now?"

Wanda sighed. "Then why don't get some advice from Cindy?"

"That's a great idea, Wanda. I wish I was where Cindy is right now."

-OOO-

Trixie was tiring of seeing pictures of Timmy's parents in the buff. His secret was in none of them. Of that much she was sure. "Ah, Mr. Turner?"

He interrupted his narration of the slide show he was presenting. The current picture projected was one of one Mr. Turner Nude-Waterskiing. "Yes, what is it, Trixie?"

"Do you have any pictures? Like the kind with everybody dressed, for instance."

"No way, Trixie," Veronica said. "Turner's dad is so buff."

"Why thank you, Vicky."

"Uh… that's Veronica."

"Oh, right. What did I say?" He turned to Trixie. "Your friend thinks I'm hot. Why don't you?"

"Im sure that you are, Mr. Turner," Trixie replied. "But don't you have any pictures of your son?"

"Of course." Mr. Turner got up and went to a door that Trixie had never seen before and opened it. "I have a whole closet full of them."

"Perhaps I can find what I am looking for in there."

"Just what is it that you are looking for, Trixie?"

"I wish I knew."

OOO-

Cindy looked up from the chess match that she was playing with Libby… and found Him looking back at her. "Timmy!"

"I thought I would find you here."

"In her own house," Libby said sarcastily. "Where else would she be?"

"I heard that you were holding a fairy against his will. That doesn't seem very nice."

"You believe in fairies, too?" Cindy asked eagerly. "Is that why you have those holograms?"

"Of course," Timmy lied convincingly. He couldn't let anyone find out about his fairies, or else they would have to go away forever. Let alone Cindy. "Why don't you just let him go?"

"But I need him to prove the world that fairies exist, Timmy."

"No, you don't, Cindy," Timmy said sternly. "Let me show you somebody who would stop at nothing to do just that."

"Are you going to introduce me to your parents?" Cindy wondered.

"Uh… sure."

"Great." She turned to her best friend. "You coming along, Libby?"

"There's no good to come out of this, Cindy. Timmy here is obviously an idiot."

"Now you're just jealous."

"I wasn't jealous when you fell in love with Jimmy."

"I'M NOT IN LOVE WITH NERDTRON!"

OOO-

Cindy's outburst had been quite the surprise to Timmy. From the way she had said it, you would think that she _was_ in love with Jimmy. Girls were such strange creatures he had long along decided. But there was still matter to be decided.

How was he going to get Cindy to Dimmsdale without her finding out how he was doing it. Especially now that Cindy believed in fairies. Oh why did he have to confirm that belief?

"Relax, champ," Wanda said, as if she had read his thoughts. "Leave it all to us."

"Thanks, Wanda," Timmy said before taking a bite from the sandwich that Cindy had made for him before disappearing off somewhere, taking Libby with her. _Strange_, he thought as he chewed. _I thought she wanted to come along_. Maybe she was off getting the fairy, whoever he was. "And didn't Libby think I was smart the last time I was here?"

"Maybe she has been talking with Jimmy," Cosmo replied.

"Somebody's coming," Timmy said suddenly. And Wanda and Cosmo turned into a fork and spoon beside Timmy's plate.

The two girls were back, carrying two suitcases each, and Cindy was hunched over from the weight of two suitcases in hand and one giant camping backpack on her back.

"What's all this? And where's the fairy?"

Cindy looked up with fury in her eyes. "He's disappeared. You didn't have anything to do with this, do you?"

"Of course not, Cindy. If I did, do you think I would still be around?"

"I don't know," Cindy said slowly.

"Perhaps one of his fairy friends busted him out."

"Maybe," Cindy said uncertainly.

"But still what's with all the stuff?"

"I might be trapped in your universe," Cindy said icily. "If I am, I moving in with you. Even if we have to share the bed together. Deal?"

"Deal." He extended his hand to shake on it.

"You understand if I don't accept your hand, Timmy."

Timmy drew back his hand. "Oh. Of course."

"So how are getting to Dimmsdale?"

Timmy drew a blank. But something out of the corner of his eye drew his attention, and when he turned to look, he found a wand. "By magic, of course."

"Magic, huh?" Libby said, "But there's no such as magic.

Timmy paid her no heed. He picked up the wand, waved it, and said, "I wish that Cindy and I and all the stuff that she was wanting to bring were at my house."

-OOO-

One moment, they were there. And the next, they were gone.

"I guess there really is such as magic after all," she said softly.

-OOO-

The front door was opened to reveal the identity of Tootie's date.

"Elmer? My date is Elmer?"

Elmer was wearing a red tuxedo with a red carnation in his lapel.

"He was the only one available," Vicky explained as she grabbed the keys. She was wearing a red dress fit for a prom that showed off what cleavage she had and plunged very low in the back.

"Don't mind the boil, Tootie," Elmer said. "It won't hurt you."

"Excuse me?" Tootie said.

Vicky pushed them out of the doorway. "Hurry up you two. I have a reservation and it won't last forever."


	6. Are You Jimmy Neutron?

Fairly Oddparents and Jimmy Neutron copyright Viacom

Chapter 6: Are You Jimmy Neutron?

Written: 15 May 2005-23 May 2005

Posted: 24 May 2005

Timmy and Cindy arrived in his bedroom with more stuff than he had remembered Cindy had with her. In fact it seemed that her bedroom had thrown in with an entire department into his bedroom. "I need to be less specific with my wishes."

"Or _more_ specific," Cindy commented beside him. The room was so full with stuff that they were forced onto Timmy's bed. Fortunately they were only ten so they could easily fit on top with plenty of room to spare. "Maybe that way you would get what you actually want."

"Wow, you're so smart, Cindy."

"Yes," she replied, clasping Timmy's hands in her own. "But as not as smart as you are."

"But what's with this stuff?"

"I wanted a lot more stuff than I could have taken." She looked around the room. "Well, more stuff than I _thought_ I could have taken." She paused. "Do you have a guest bedroom in this place?"

"Of course. Who doesn't?" Timmy smiled. "But let's tell my parents that you're moving in."

"But what if they say no?"

Timmy shrugged. "Hey, it's not like you have any other place to stay while you're in town."

"Thanks for your all help, Timmy." Cindy cocked her head, looking at the wand in Timmy's hand. "But where did you get that wand?"

"Umm… Internet."

"Internet?" Timmy held his breathe. "They have the internet here too? And they sell real working wands on it?"

"Yes." Timmy lowered his voice. "But they only sell real wands like this to real geniuses like us."

"I see," Cindy replied, nodding her head. "But before we can talk with your parents, there's one thing we must do."

"What's that, Cindy?"

She indiacted the piles of stuff in the room with them. "Find a way to the door."

"Oh right, that." Then Timmy suddenly remembered something important. "I should tell that you're not the only guest."

Cindy sighed. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Wha?"

"Never mind. Go on about this other guest."

Timmy held up two fingers. "Two actually."

"And do these two guests happen to be both girls?"

Timmy nodded.

Cindy waited for Timmy to introduce them.

"They're Trixie Tang, who I'm madly in love with, and her best friend, Veronica Page, who's madly in with _me_."

Cindy's face darkened. "I thought I was the love in your life."

Timmy looked away and said nothing.

"Might as well meet my competition. Are you listening to me?" when Cindy noticed that Timmy seemed to listening to his _fish_. She shrugged. So he had a few cards missing. At least he wasn't an idiot.

Like Nerdtron.

OOO-

He was adjusted a screw on his latest invention when his phone rang. He finished screwing in the screw before answering. "Hello. Jimmy Neutron speaking."

"Jimmy," Libby said, "Cindy is gone."

His breathe stopped. She couldn't be… Jimmy didn't allow himself even to think the word. "Where did she go?"

"I think to Dimmsdale-"

"Impossible!"

"But Timmy came to her house and took her away with him to… wherever he went off to. Now I know you're the only one who could get her back. I helped her get packed, but only because I only thought she was visiting another town."

"I told you, Libby. Timmy isn't much of a genius. There has to be another explanation."

"Did I say that he was genius?"

"No, but-"

"Then don't go putting words in my mouth."

"Sorry, Libby. But I would love to learn where he got his marvelous technology from. Get Sheen and Carl and meet me here in my lab in an hour. We're going to Dimmsdale."

"That's the spirit, Jimmy."

OOO-

When Timmy bought Cindy downstairs so she could meet his folks, he noticed that there was somebody missing. Although his father was still presenting the slide show. "Where's Trixie?"

"To look through some old photo albums," Mr. Turner said indifferently. Then he spotted Cindy. "Another guest? What is this, Hotel Sinclair?"

"Dad, this Cindy Vortex. Cindy, this is my Dad."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Turner." Cindy extened her hand.

"Ah… Pleased to meet you too, Cindy."

It was at this point that Cindy realized at was on the projected slides, and her face paled. "Do your parents know that it's against a law of nature for parents to go out into public naked?"

"Don't you worry, Cindy. I wasn't with them."

Cindy nodded, before changing the subject. "So you're Veronica, huh?"

"That's right." Veronica looked away from the projection screen. "But who are you and what are doing here?"

Timmy felt as if he were seeing Veronica for the very first time. Something was definitely off about her. "This is Cindy Vortex, Veronica, and she'll be staying here for awhile. If it's okay with you, Dad."

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

Mrs. Turner frowned. "Honey, before we agree to this I think we will have to ask a few questions first."

"Do we have to?" Mr. Turner sounded dejected.

"Yes," Mrs. Turner said sharply. Then she turned to Cindy. "Where do you live, Cindy?"

"Out of town. Far out of town."

"Just how far out of town?"

"Very far, Mrs. Turner."

"How far?" she persisted.

"Uhmm…" She looked to Timmy, who was nodding his support. "Retroville. I'm from Retroville."

A hush fell on the room. Did they still refuse to believe in the existence of Retroville and all who lived there? When Timmy had told his parents about Cindy and her friends, they didn't believe him, but he had just figured that they had thought that it was one of his many stories he made up. Like the one about Vicky being evil for instance. But Timmy had thought with another to vouch for him, his parents would start to doubt their doubt.

Finally, Mrs. Turner spoke again. "Retroville you say. Just where is that anyway?"

"A long ways away," Timmy said. "Far, far away in fact."

OOO-

Trixie was now ripping the photos out of the albums looking a clue to Timmy's mysterious secret. The photos fell like rose petals around her. But it seemed that clue wasn't in any of them! She didn't care that none of the photo albums belonged to her. She was too intent on her goal. She had to find that secret! Whatever it ultimately turned out to be.

But what was really bothering Trixie was how she had discovered Timmy's secret in the first place. Especially she had no idea of what that secret could possibly be. She simply had no recollection of what got on this hunt in the first place. But she had had the feeling that it had been very noticeable at the time. Now she was beginning to wonder if she ever knew what it was, or even if her feeling about Timmy having a secret wasn't just some kind of delusion.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Come in," she said.

Timmy entered.

"What are you doing, Trixie?" he asked, frowning, when saw the layer of albums and photographs on the study floor.

"Timmy," Trixie asked, not bothering to answer Timmy's question, "do you believe in fate?"

Timmy knealt down to pick up a ripped-out page from the floor. "What does that have to do with ripping pages and photos from people's albums?"

Trixie said nothing.

"Just are you looking for anyway, Trixie?"

"I'll know it when I see it."

Timmy wasn't sure that he liked the sound of that. He got the feeling that she would find stuff that should not be found.

Like his fairy godparents.

Timmy swallowed. She must not find his fairies, lest he lose them forever. He didn't know what he would do if he lost his fairies. He shivered. That was one possibility that he didn't want to face. And his parents weren't going to enjoy finding their picture albums torn up and all over the floor. "Trixie, why don't you put down the book and come with me. I have something I think you ought to see."

Trixie cocked her head. "What is it?"

"Oh, you'll see when you get there." Timmy knelt down. "Now help me get these picture albums back together."

"I wouldn't know how they go," she answered like in the old days (like the day before for example).

"But you were the one ripping them up."

"But I wasn't really paying attention to organization when I was looking through them. I'm sorry." Timmy couldn't tell if she was really sorry or not.

Timmy frowned. "But just why are you ripping out the photos. There's nothing hidden in the pages."

"I don't know that."

"Isn't my word good enough?"

"No," Trixie answered without a moment's thought.

Timmy sighed. "Can't you get back to that later?"

"Hmmm, I guess so." She brushed off her outfit afer being helped up by Timmy. "What is that you want to show me again?"

"Actually, it's more of a person really."

OOO-

Tootie Spain didn't hurt to be there. Unless she was with Timmy, which she wasn't. Certainly not with this loser. She played with her spoon while she didn't pretend to listen to Elmer. And what's with that boil of his anyway?

Tootie would have gotten and stormed out of the restaurant had her sister not been there willing and able to stop her. And punish her later on. But when she chanced a look at Vicky, she noticed that her sister seemed a little distant. "Is there something wrong, Vicky?"

"Of course not," Vicky growled. A subdued growl.

Tootie wasn't used to feeling worried for her sister. Worried _from_ her, yes. But not _for_. And Tootie found that she didn't like it very much. But something definitely off about her big sister.

The real question was whether Tootie was going to do anything about it? Vicky wasn't quite as nasty as she usual was while she was in this state. Either way, she wasn't about to rock the boat during the date, no matter how much she wanted to. Things might turn ugly if she did.

She felt totally justified for her inaction.

"That's a fascinating story, Elmo," Vicky said, sounding bored. "But are you ready to order now?"

Tootie looked up in surprise. A waitress had come while she wasn't looking. Tootie frowned. The waitress held a little notepad while she chewed gum. Were waitresses supposed to be doing that at fancy French restaurants? And what's with the little notepad? And the green dress with the white apron. Like she was working in a diner. "What's going on here?" Tootie asked.

"Wow," Elmer said. "You're pretty."

Vicky looked annoyed.

Tootie had to conclude that Vicky was behind this "waitress," if that what was she really was. Suddenly Tootie wanted to be same place else, right away. But first, in order not to attract too much notice, she must make her order. "Cape suezette," she said.

"Cape what?"

Tootie got up and bolted for the door. But before she could get very far, she was grabbed by the back of her dress and was deposited back into her seat. "Where do you think you're going, squirt?" Vicky asked.

"What's with the fake waitress, Vicky?"

"Fake waitress," Elmer blinked. "She looks ravishing to me, Tootie."

Tootie gave him a 'look' and he quieted down.

"A fake waitress, Tootie? Whatever are you talking about?"

Tootie shot a finger at the woman. "I don't think that waiters at French resturents dress like that. And she didn't even know what a Cape Suzette is."

Vicky sighed. "You can go now, Jennifer. It looks like your services won't be needed."

"I stay will paid, right."

"Yes, yes, of course," Vicky said and Jennifer left. After she was gone, Vicky said quietly, "Look, it wasn't my idea."

"What wasn't?"

"Using Jennifer to wait on us. I thought that a regular waiter would be perfectly fine, but _they_ didn't think so."

"Ooh," Elmer said, "the mysterious they."

"He's right, Vicky," Tootie said. "Who are they?"

Vicky put a blue plastic egg on the table. "Sorry I didn't get to know you better." Tears were now flowing from her eyes. A lump formed in Tootie's tummy. This couldn't be a good sign. Especially when Vicky stood up and said, "Goodbye, Tootie. I will never see you again." She ran off crying into her sleeve.

Tootie got up to follow, but before she could her legs straightened, a bright flash flared, and she lost consciousness.

OOO-

The dark deed was done. Vicky had known the cost and had been willing to pay it. But she had no idea how attached she had been to her bratty, annoying little sister. Such sentimentality would have made her weak if she had let it guide her actions. Fortunately she had done no such thing.

Now that little Turner twerp would know how she felt. Having their one true love disappear on them in the middle of the night before they could realize how they felt. She laughed heartily as she waited for a cab to pick her up.

But what was this ache in her heart?

Could she miss Tootie?

"Impossible," she said to herself.

Not that would make it would difference. Tootie was in another dimension now and, thanks to the barrier that had formed after Tootie and new boyfriend had left, wasn't every going to come back. Not even with help from a helpful boy genius, of which Vicky doubted that Tootie would ever find.

OOO-

His wrist communicator chirped. Jimmy had been at his bedroom computer thinking about the expedition ahead. He looked and… "Holy Heisenberg! That's impossible!" According to VOX, Timmy's universe no longer existed. That just wasn't possible. Unless…

Quickly Jimmy called Libby on his wrist communicator, who answered right away. "Libby, we have a problem. We've been cut off from Cindy."

"Can't you get Timmy on your inter-dimensional phone system?"

"That's the problem, Libby. His entire universe has been cut off."

"How's that possible?"

"I don't know, Libby. But I think that a barrier had been put up."

"A barrier? What kind of barrier?"

"I wouldn't know, Libby. It is kinda outside of my experience. I simply had never conceived of a force that can place a barrier between two universes."

"If you can't do that, then nobody can, Jimmy."

"I didn't say that I couldn't overcome this new obstacle, I just need more time. That's all."

"How much more time?"

"My feeling is… two weeks perhaps."

"What should do we until then?" she asked, referring to her and Carl and Sheen.

Someone knocked on his door. "Just come to the meeting as we planned and we'll get to that bridge when we come to it, Libby. Excuse me for a minute. There's somebody at my door."

"Okay."

Jimmy ended the call and answered the knock. He opened the door to find a girl in Catholic school uniform, glasses, and pigtails and a boy with an enormous boil. The boy looked familiar, but Jimmy couldn't place him.

The girl asked, "Are you Jimmy Neutron?"


	7. Settling In

Lavendarpaw, I just read books and try to keep the characters in character, as it were.

Alish Marie, this is what happens next.

Seth, that was where they were sent. And no, Trixie and Veronica aren't staying the night, and no, Vicky isn't running away.

Fairly Oddparents and Jimmy Neutron copyright Viacom

Chapter 7: Settling In

Written: 1 Jun 2005-28 Jun 2005

Posted: 29 Jun 2005

"We aren't staying the night, Mr. Turner," Veronica patiently explained. "What ever gave you that idea? Just because she's," she pointed to Cindy, who sat beside on the couch, "staying the night doesn't mean we are."

"I assumed…"

"That's the problem, Mr. Turner. You're always just assuming things. You should be asking kids all sorts of questions. Like, for example, you should ask your son why he is so interested in dating that skank Trixie."

"Isn't she your best friend, Veronica?" Cindy asked.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Cindy and Mrs. Turner shared an easy look. Clearly this girl had "issues." Then Mrs. Turner glanced at the clock on the wall. "Let's getting late, Veronica," she said. "Perhaps it's time for you and Trixie to head on home."

"Oh, sure thing, Mrs. Turner," she said cheerfully. Then she looked around uncertainly. "Where is Trixie?"

Cindy shrugged. "I haven't seen her once in my life." She frowned. Something the other blonde said didn't set right with her. "Did you say that Timmy wanted to date her?"

"Oh yes. Said he loved her or some such junk. It will never last."

"Of course it won't last," Cindy snapped. "It's not even going to get started."

"What's it to you?"

"I'm going to marry him someday," Cindy said dreamily."

"Fat chance of that happening," Veronica said. "He's going to marry me."

"Over my dead body."

"That could be arranged, you know," Veronica said softly.

"Whoa there!" Mrs. Turner interrupted. "It's a little early to talk about marriage?" Then she lowered her voice and added an edge to it. "And no one is killing my son over love, got it?"

Nervously, Veronica and Cindy nodded most enthusiastically. "Yes, Mrs. Turner."

"Hi, Mom. Dad. Veronica. Cindy." Timmy greeted each in turn. "Cindy, I like you to meet Trixie Tang, my future wife.

Trixie frowned slightly, Cindy noticed, but said nothing. What was that about? Maybe Timmy wasn't cuter than Nick after all. That two-timing fiend.

"Isn't it a little early to talk about marriage, Timothy?" Veronica said.

"That's right, young man," Mrs. Turner said. "No talk of marriage until you're at least sixteen."

"What about other people's weddings?" Timmy wondered.

"Only when somebody else had brought it up first."

"Okay, mom. Whatever you say."

Something in the tone of his voice told Cindy that Timmy wasn't planning on keeping that promise. Whatever it was…

She wanted to be in on it.

"Is this the person you wanted to show me?" Trixie asked Timmy. "She doesn't look very special."

"She came from far, far away just to visit me," Timmy explained. Which might as well be the truth, Cindy decided.

Trixie grinned slyly. "So would that make _you_ special, Timmy?"

Timmy smiled back, just as slyly. "I am the one with the magic wand." He took a magic wand from his pocket. At least it looked like one.

"Where did you get that?"

"The Internet, silly," Cindy said.

"Oh. Of course." Then Trixie seemed to muse about something. "I hate to ask a question that had already been asked, but what are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to spend some time with Timmy," Cindy said. "We are very close, you know? But what are you doing here?"

"I'm Timmy's girlfriend. Of course I would be here."

"Girlfriend!" Cindy said incredulously. "Why would you be his girlfriend?"

"Perhaps it something to do that big secret of his," Veronica said.

Cindy shifted in her seat. "Big secret, huh?"

"Well, it won't be official until your father and I give our permission."

Timmy rolled his eyes. "It's not even guys. However I much I want it to be, it's all big act to hide the fact that she's uncovering my secret."

"And you didn't find that it at all strange that a popular girl like Trixie would rather been seen dating you than unburying your deep, dark secrets?" Veronica asked.

"No, should I?"

Cindy tapped her fingers on the armrest. "Just what it is this big secret that everyone keeps talking about?"

"That's just it, Cindy. I have no idea."

-OOO-

It was then that Jimmy noticed that she was wearing a pink-and-red party dress. _Who were these people and what were they doing here_, he wondered.

"Of course I'm Jimmy Neutron," he replied. "This is 3210 W. Von Braun St., isn't it?"

"Actually, I don't know what street this is," the girl said. "We just sort of dropped into your universe across the street and asked for help and we were sent over here to ask for you."

"It was pretty wild," the boy said.

"I'm sure it was," Jimmy said. Then he went over what the girl had just said. "Wait. Did you say another universe?"

"Yes, my yucky, evil sister Vicky did something and Elmer and I sent across an infinite void to land in your front yard. Where we met your Mom, who's real nice, by the way."

"Vicky you say," Jimmy said softly. He excused himself before heading to his desk, where he pulled out a drawer and retrieved a photo of teenager in black jeans, a green shirt a bit small of her, red hair with a ponytail, and rosy eyes. "Is this the Vicky you were talking about?"

The girl nodded and Elmer shrunk back. "The horror! The horror! The pure, unadulterated PG-13 horror!" he said.

"So I will take that as a yes then."

"Where did you get that picture, Jimmy? And how did you know her?" The girl asked.

"Well actually, she kinda threw me out of a moving vehicle. She thought I was Timmy Turner. Now tell me… Uh, what was your name again?"

"Tootie."

"Now tell me, Tootie," Jimmy continued, without missing a beat, "do I look anything like Timmy Turner?"

"No, Timmy is much cu-ter." Tootie paused. She was looking at Jimmy's hair. "How do you get your hair looking at that?"

"My Robo-barber. I finally got all the bugs worked out. It'll be an hour before my friends arrive. Do you want to give a spin?"

"I don't know. I kinda like my hair the way that it is."

"You can always change it back," Jimmy promised.

"I'm in. Maybe I could find a style that Timmy would like."

"That's what it's for." Jimmy turned to Elmer. "And I could help you with that boil, if you want."

"Thank you. It's been controlling my thoughts."

A boil controlling his thoughts? That was impossible. Then again, Cindy wasn't the only one with delusions. "So that's a yes, then?" He knew that it sounded like a stupid question, but he wanted to make sure.

"Yes. Of course."

As they left Jimmy's room, Jimmy asked Tootie, "Would Timmy's last name be Turner?"

"Yes."

"It seems that Timmy has fallen in love with this girl I know."

-OOO-

Vicky threw open the front door and found the living room empty. And she felt something was wrong in the air. She might just attrubited to a reaction to sending her sister far, far away, but she couldn't possibly have any feelings for that little troll. That left any one possibility…

Where were her parents anyway? They should be here to greet her home after a hard day's work. Or in this case, a night chaperoning her baby sister's date. Of course they wouldn't be _cheerfully_ greeting her, but Vicky didn't mind. The fact that they greeted at all was enough for her. Allowances had to be made for the fact that they were deathly afraid of her.

Vicky snorted. Those cowards were probably hiding. She went into the kitchen to get a warm glass of milk before she headed on to bed. Once she was in the kitchen, she noticed a sheet of paper attached to the refridgodor, by a monkey holding a bunch of bananas, that hadn't been the last that Vicky had checked. Curious, she went to the fridge and read the note. When she was finished, she angrily crumpled the note up and tossed it in a random direction. "How did they find out?" she screamed.

She stormed toward her room. She had ways of dealing with troublemakers. She had pretty practice.

She threw open her door and went straight for the closet. He opened it up and began searching through the pile of crumbled sheets and clothes on the floor. They had spots of blood on them. Evidence of the nosebleeds that she didn't want anyone to know about. And then finally she found what she was looking for.

She held up in the air as a show of triumph. "They will be mine."

-OOO-

Timmy lay back on his sheets contently and sighed. All in all the day had gone pretty well. Trixie and Veronica had spent some time at his house, and that girl Cindy had moved in. He didn't even mind that Cindy taken his bed. His room _was_ filled to the brim with her stuff.

But it did mean that he had to sleep on the couch. "Trixie visiting my house," Timmy said to his fairies, hovering overhead. "Cindy moving in. Guys, what could be better than this?"

"Getting to sleep in your bed with Cindy?" Cosmo suggested.

A moment of silence passed.

"Cosmo, Timmy does not need to sleeping with a girl at his age," Wanda said shortly.

"But what could be wrong with it?" Cosmo asked. "It's not like they're teenagers yet or anything."

Wanda sighed.

"What?"

Wanda ignored him and turned to Timmy. "Isn't it about you got some sleep, sport?"

"Perhaps you're right, Wanda," Timmy reluctantly agreed. He did have a busy day ahead pretending to be Trixie's boyfriend. Which was especially hard, as he wanted to be Trixie's for-real boyfriend. "But I do wish that this couch could be pulled into a bed."

"You got it, kiddo," Wanda replied. A quick wave of the wands later, a bed popped out of the couch, and Timmy was gentlely laid onto the bed. "Thanks, guys."

"Don't mention it, Timmy," Wanda said.

"That's what we're here for," Cosmo added.

"I thought you were here so that I won't be miserable," Timmy replied.

"Ah, same difference," Cosmo said. "Now Timmy, 'the sooner you go to bed, the sooner you can have fun in the morning."

Wanda sniffed. "That's the most mature thing I have ever heard." Then she added, "From you."

Cosmo shrugged. "It's what my mother told me when I was a little boy."

"I suppose even she says something right now and again," Wanda observed.

Suddenly the front door flew open. And Vicky's parents came rushing in. Mrs. Spain jumped onto the couch-bed and grabbed Timmy's collar. "You have to hide us. Vicky is after us."

"Why would you would think that," Timmy asked with skepticism.

"Because she already got rid of Tootie," Mr. Spain explained.

At first Timmy didn't follow, but when he realized what they were saying, he felt like throwing up. _My god, did Vicky really make her sister disappear?_ "How did she do that?"

"I don't know." Mrs. Spain sobbed. "But a little birdie told us what our had done, and you should always believe what little birdies tell you. Isn't that right, dear?"

Mr. Spain nodded.

Timmy looked to his fairies, who were posing as his goldfish. "You know, he-"

"It was a little bird."

"Okay. _She_ might have been lying. Or she might have been an idiot. Which they are sometimes known to be." Timmy glanced at Cosmo, who was whistling innocently.

"You really think so?" both parents asked.

"I know so."

Timmy felt a bit repulsed when they took his hands in their own and started to kiss his knuckles. "Thank you," they said. "Thank you so ever much."

"Could you stop that?"

"No." They kissed his hands a couple of more times.

Timmy sighed. "I suppose we could look for Tootie then, huh?"

-OOO-

"So when can we return home?" Tootie asked when after she had been shown into Jimmy's lab.

"It's not that simple, Tootie." Jimmy sat down at his computer. "A barrier lays between our universe and yours."

"But you can break through it, right?"

"I don't know, Tootie. I've brought you two down here to meet my friends as we decide on what to do. A good friend of mine is trapped in your reality. And I want her back." It wasn't really true, but it sounded like it was, even to him.

"Oh?" Elmer asked. "Why would he do that?"

Jimmy spoke softly. "Libby said she wanted to visit Timmy. Seems like she had a crush on him."

"Crush?" Tootie snorted. "What I have for Timmy is real love. Not some silly crush."

"I hope you're right, Tootie."

Without any warning, VOX said, "No inter-dimensional barrier found."

"What? That can't be. I just saw it ten minutes ago. It can't be gone!"

"That means we go home?" Tootie asked hopefully.

Jimmy thought about it. "Not just yet. Something strange is going on here, and I will have to find out that is before I can allow anyone to make any trans-dimensional travels."

Forty-five minutes later Sheen, Carl and Libby arrived. After they had joined Jimmy and the others, he asked Libby for an account of what had happened with Cindy's disappearance.

"You're not much for introductions," Libby replied, nodding toward Jimmy's two other guests.

"Please, Libby. It's important."

"Okay." Libby began to relate the story of Timmy's sudden appearance and his offer to bring Cindy to his home. Cindy then had packed, and with a whish of his wand, they were gone. Along with half of Cindy's stuff, Libby later discovered. "Including her bed," Libby finished. "Don't know about you. But there's something about that Timmy that I don't trust. First that thing he did to Goddard. Now this."

"What happened with Goddard?" Elmer asked. Tootie and him were introduced to the mechanical canine on their way down to the lab.

Tootie responded to something else that Libby said. "Timmy is the sweetest, kindest, most wonderful boy in the world. I won't stand by and listen to you bad-mouth him."

Libby eyed Tootie. "I don't know what you have going on with Timmy, but I what have seen, it would seem that he really likes Cindy." She turned slightly green, apparently from the memory.

Tootie blushed and twiddled her thumbs. "He also likes Trixie, but that doesn't matter. I'm his one true love."

"Trixie?" Libby blunk. "Who the heck is Trixie?"

"Girls!" Sheen said to Carl. "Always gossiping about each behind their backs."

"You got that right," Carl replied.

-OOO-

Trixie watched the hands on her clock. It was almost midnight, and she knew she should be in bed, but she couldn't sleep. The mystery of Timmy's secret was loudly buzzing in her head. She hadn't even bothered to change into her nightgown. So she just sat at her make-up counter, chin resting on her hands, waiting for sleep to take her.

She had known that pretending to date Timmy was foolish, but she couldn't help herself. Was her trying to find one little secret that much more embarrassing than actually dating one of the least popular kids in schools. Or was he so unpopular? Trixie wondered about that.

Oh, smoof it. Might as well just date him for real. It was the whole goal of the charade to make everybody to think they were steady. Trixie could use a boyfriend out of the deal.

Trixie smiled. She planned on not telling the pink-hatted lad. His reaction might reveal that little secret of his.

And hopefully her love for him didn't go beyond friendship. Veronica needed a boyfriend more than she did.


	8. Magic Means Fairies

Sorry about the wait. I had had to rewrite as I had spilled water on my Alphasmart and lost my original draft. Hopefully, it's as least as good as it was before.

Fairly Oddparents and Jimmy Neutron copyright Viacom

Chapter 8: Magic Means Fairies

Written: 8 Sep 2005-20 Sep 2005

Posted: 21 Sep 2005

Timmy sat down in front of a plate filled with eggs and bacon that his mother had just laid down on the table. Cindy was watching him while slowly chewing a bite she had taken from the sausage she had speared on her fork. Mrs. Turner sat between them, sipping coffee. "Well?" Cindy said.

"Well what?"

"Aren't you going to thank your mother for all the fine work she had done preparing us this breakfast?" Mrs. Turner blushed as she heard Cindy.

"I was going to get to it. Jeez!" What had crawled up and bit her in the butt. And why did she have to butter mom up like that? "Thank you, mom," he said stiffly.

Mrs. Turner smiled. "Anything for you, Timmy."

_Yeah, right_, thought Timmy. _Then why won't you fire Vicky?_ He began to consider telling his parents what his babysitter had done to her very own baby sister. Or caused her _parents_ to run away. Of course Timmy's parents had no way of knowing. But how had Tootie's parents find out…?

"So Cindy," Mrs. Turner was saying, "just how did you get here?"

Timmy froze just as he was biting a slice of bacon. _Oh boy. Here it comes_.

"Timmy invited me."

Mrs. Turner cocked her head. "Okaay. So how did _Timmy_ get you here?"

He braced himself as Cindy said the dreaded words. "He used his magic."

Mrs. Turner chuckled. "But Timmy doesn't have any magic. I'm his mother. I would know these things."

"Has anything… unusual been going on?"

"How do you mean?"

Cindy opened her mouth to answer, but Timmy spoke first. "Mom's right, Cindy. I don't have any magic."

"Don't give me that crap, Timmy. What explanation is there for the sudden jump from Retroville to Dimmsdale?" Timmy started to object, but a look of understanding appeared on Cindy's face. "Oh, I see now. You're keeping it a secret from your mom, aren't you?"

He kept his mouth shut.

Cindy smiled coyly. "I wouldn't share that you had for-real magic." Suddenly, it seemed that an idea occurred to her. She looked horrified. "Of course. You found an Ancient artifact, and now you're just playing around with it for kicks." There was no missing that capital letter. "You're not a genius at all. You're just a selfish jerk." She stood up and reached out her hand. "Give it to me. Now!"

"Hey," Cosmo said from Timmy's backpack, currently at his feet, "just because he acts like a selfish jerk, doesn't mean he's not a genius." Timmy kicked his backpack. And prayed that Cindy didn't notice.

His prayers seemed to be answered as she gave no signs of having noticed. She smiled. "But I suppose that most boys our age _are_ selfish jerks. Especially that Neutron kid."

Mrs. Turner frowned. "He might be selfish at times. But he's most certainly not a jerk!"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Turner. I wasn't thinking." Timmy knew that she was telling the truth. She hadn't been thinking. And she was sorry.

The two facts did not necessarily have anything to do with each other, however.

Mrs. Turner looked out the window thoughtfully. "Still, if you did have magic, Timmy, I would like to see a demonstration."

"But I truly don't have any magic, mom." The only magic that Timmy had ever used in his life had always belonged to somebody else.

She looked in his direction. "That's alright, Timmy. If you don't have any magic, then you needn't show me."

He began to feel a little guilty. But he didn't understand why. He was telling the truth.

Wasn't he?

He sighed. "I'll give you one this afternoon, mom. I promise." Then he added, for some reason, "If I'm able."

"I'm sure that he'll able to, Mrs. Turner," Cindy said. "He brought me from another universe."

Mrs. Turner took one last sip from her coffee cup. "Hurry up and finish your breakfast, you two. You wouldn't want to miss the bus."

Cindy speared the last chunk of fried egg on her plate and put it in her mouth. "Done," she said after she had finished chewing it and swallowed.

Timmy, however, had barely started on his eggs. "How much time is left?"

-OOO-

Trixie woke with a start. She looked out the car window and found that limo had stopped in front of Timmy's house. She was glad that she had gotten some sleep, but she wasn't sure that she had gotten enough for her rendezvous with Timmy.

The door opened, and he appeared. Oh well, no time for sleep now. She frowned. That Cindy girl was with him. What was she doing there? She was actually attending school today? But she was on vacation. She didn't need to attend school. So why was she? It just didn't make any sense.

She was beginning to suspect that Cindy was Timmy's secret. But her intuition told her otherwise. But, on the other hand, her intuition was a little suspect lately. How else would you explain her agreeing to Timmy's girlfriend, or trying so hard to pry out his little secret? Timmy was a dork. But still he _was_ cute. She almost wished that they were cousins so they wouldn't have to date him. That thought was of course was absurd.

That didn't stop her from believing it though.

She felt like a chess pawn.

She didn't like it.

Timmy began to approach the limo cautiously. Trixie lowered the window and poked her head out. "Would you like a ride to school, Timmy?"

Timmy looked skeptical. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"No, silly. You are my boyfriend after all. All you have to do is admit that Cindy isn't your girlfriend."

"Okay, she isn't my girlfriend," he said instantly. Cindy looked stricken from betrayal. _That's right, you skank, Timmy isn't yours. He's mine._

"Aren't you going to think about it?"

"Nope."

"But this was the first time I offered to be your actual girlfriend, and not just for pretend. I could have been lieing."

"_You _would never lie, Trixie Tang." Trixie saw the wondering look in Cindy's eyes. She felt her heart skip a beat. Could it be true? Was she actually incapable of telling a lie? It couldn't true! Surely she had told her share of lies in the past. Surely! "And I would never pass a chance to be your boyfriend."

Trixie smiled sheepishly. "Of course. Never dream of it." She opened the door and let Timmy climb in. Then she closed the door.

"But what about me?" Cindy asked.

"You can take the bus."

Before Cindy could reply, the limo drove away at Trixie's signal.

"Was that really necessary?" Timmy asked once they were on the road.

"Yes, Timmy. I wanted to talk with alone."

"Couldn't it have waited?"

She looked at with misty eyes. "No, it couldn't. This is far too important to wait."

Timmy nodded her to continue.

She maintained eye contact with him. "That Cindy girl is a witch."

That got Timmy's attention.

-OOO-

The Spains breathed a sigh of relied after they had watched the bus and Maria drive away. "Where does she work anyway?" Mrs. Spain asked.

"I think she sells homes."

"Oh yes. Of course."

They watched for a while longer before settling down to wait for Timmy with word on Tootie. Or their own other daughter. For the first time in his life, Mr. Spain actually thirsted to kill his own daughter. The trouble was. He was deathly afraid of her at the same time. And for good reason.

"We'll find them, dear," his wife said. "There will no hope left if you keep telling yourself otherwise."

-OOO-

Tootie modeled the new dress that Libby had gave her in front of the mirror. The green dress was a welcome change from the pink-and-red number that she had been wearing when she had got here. In fact she had changed everything down to her skin.

She did not want to be reminded of Vicky just then. Or what she had done to her. She wanted to forget that Vicky even existed.

"Can I really stay at your place until I leave, Mrs. Vortex?" She turned toward Cindy's mother for the answer.

"Of course. Don't think another thing about it, Trudy," she said from the bed.

Tootie didn't say _It's Tootie_ like she had for about a million times earlier. It just didn't seem to be any good. "Thank you for letting me stay," she curtsied.

Mrs. Vortex stood up. "Make yourself at home while I get your clothes washed."

"You don't need to get them washed right away, Mrs. Vortex."

"Nonsense, Trudy. It's no trouble at all." She looked at Tootie funny before leaving.

Tootie went over to the bed and sat down. Now what was she going to do? Before she could come up with any answers, however, Elmer appeared at the door to Mrs. Vortex's bedroom. "It's time, Tootie."

"Time?"

"It's time to go to school, duh."

Tootie looked out the window. "But Jimmy said not to go to school."

"That's strange," he observed. "He said nothing like that to me."

She watched the flock of geese overhead and began to think.

-OOO-

"What were you planning to do with those two, Jimmy?" Libby asked when they entered the school. "They have to get back home sooner or later."

"Yes, I know that, Libby. We have discussed this last night."

"Yes, I do remember, Jimmy. But you still haven't come to a solution to their problem. Unless I'm wrong?"

"No, Libby. You're not wrong. I haven't formulated an answer. Yet," he emphasized.

"I don't get it, Jimmy. Why don't just take a detour through another universe?"

"I tried it, Libby. Fifty times last night. The barrier seems to lock out anything and anyone from our universe."

"That's strange."

"Tell me about it."

"Where's Elmer and Tootie, Jimmy?"

"I thought it best they didn't attend school. They won't be here long."

"That's a pretty confident thing to say, Jimmy."

"Not really. I think I see a way for them back."

"What is it?"

"I'm sure, but it's there alright. I'll get it open, even if I have to burn my hands to the bone."

A gaggle of students had assembled in front of Miss Fowl's class. "The five minute rule I'm telling you," Sheen was saying. "'If the teacher is tardy by five minutes, then class is dismissed for the day,'" he quoted as if it was an actual rule.

"Ah, Sheen," Jimmy said, "I don't think that's a real rule in elementary schools."

"What about high school?"

"I don't think so."

"College?"

Jimmy thought for a bit.

"Maybe."

"You mean that Miss Fowl isn't here yet?" Libby put in. "But she's always here before any of us arrive. What could have possibly happened to her?"

"Nothing," came the familiar squawk. The class turned and saw Miss Fowl in their direction with two students trailing behind. "I was called away before I could get to class."

"But what are they doing here?" Jimmy asked.

"What's who doing here?" She turned and found Tootie and Elmer standing there. "Good grief! How long have you been following me?"

Tootie produced a sheet of paper and handed to Miss Fowl. "Since the office. We'll your new students," she said cheerfully.

-OOO-

"So, guys, what do you think?" Timmy asked when he found time alone with his fairies in the boys' bathroom.

"Do we really need to meet in the boys' room?" Wanda asked. "It's not like you have to get us alone to talk with us."

"Actually I do. Trixie's been watching me like a hawk lately. So… what do you think?"

"About what, Timmy?" Cosmo asked.

"Cosmo's right, Timmy," Wanda said. "You could be a little bit more specific. To tell the truth, you seem to have a lot of issues lately."

"Whatever do you mean?"

Before anyone could answer, the door opened and Trixie stormed in. "What are you doing in here? Class is about to start!"

"What are you doing? This is the boys' room."

"What I'm doing is getting your butt to class." She didn't seem a bit embarrassed by her use of mild profanity.

With Trixie's help, Timmy managed to get to class on time. Barely. "So I see you finally decided to grace us with your presence, Turner," Mr. Crocker said. "I hate to think that you would deprive yourself of the benefits of the American educational system."

"You mean your constant tirades about fairies?"

"Exactly."

He frowned at Cindy.

"And just what is _she_ doing here. You know I don't students transfer to my class in the middle of the year. They're already too worried on their own to inspire fear in them."

"Oh, that's Cindy Vortex. Can't you tell, Mr. Crocker? She _is_ wearing a visitor's badge."

"Why yes. So she is.

"What is she doing here?"

"She came to visit me."

"A pretty girl like that visiting _you_? It's obviously the work of fairygodparents." He contorted himself into all sorts of shapes.

"Fairies?" Cindy asked. "Timmy doesn't have any fairies." Timmy shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "He has his own magic."

Crocker placed his face mere inches from Cindy's. "And how do you suppose he got those magical powers? Hmm?"

Cindy looked like she was willing to give the answer but couldn't think of it.

"Just as I have been saying. Timmy has fairygodparents." Crocker contorted himself again.

And Timmy didn't like the look that Cindy had for him very much.


	9. Vicky's Guilt

Fairly Oddparents and Jimmy Neutron copyright Viacom

Chapter 9: Vicky's Guilt

Written: 6 Nov 2005-14 Nov 2005

Posted: 14 Nov 2005

"That's crazy, Mr. Crocker," Cindy said. "If Timmy had any fairy godparents, he would have told me. Right, Timmy?"

Timmy felt the sweat on the back of his head. "Umm… yeah." He relaxed though. She didn't suspect him of hiding fairies from her.

"And Timmy would never lie to _me_. So you see?"

"No," Crocker said.

Cindy looked uncertainly at Timmy. "It seems perfectly clear to me."

"Then let me make it clearer for you, child." Crocker drew closer to her. "Just what do you know about fairies? Hmm?"

"What's there to know? They float with wings and hang out with lost boys."

"Wrong! There's a lot more to fairies than what you read in fairy tales you know. Fairies grant wishes to children. _Children like you_."

"How is that different from fairy tales?"

Crocker didn't seem to hear her question. "And does Timmy seem lost to you?"

Cindy looked at Timmy uncertainly. "I don't think so… He does have magic that of his."

"Well, he's not lost. Because he has Fairy. God. Parents." He went into all sorts of painful-looking contortions. "And they tell him where he is all the time."

"But sir," A.J. pointed out. "There's no such thing as fairies. So why are we wasting time talking about them?"

Crocker fixed the boy in his sights. "It's my time to waste."

"Of course," A.J. replied promptly.

"Jeez," said Cindy. "Where did you get your teaching license anyway?"

"Dimmsdale Community College of course," Crocker answered calmly.

"Figures."

"And another thing, what-ever-your-name-is, since when did Turner have magic?"

"I don't know. He never told me." She looked at Timmy with a curious look.

"All my life?" he ventured.

"Okay, Turner." Crocker twiddled his hands. "You can continue with your story of your holding magic. But just you remember, Turner, I will be watching you."

Crocker started class with a math test. As Timmy took that test, he began to worry that he would look like a complete moron in front of Cindy. If that happened, she might not love him anymore.

He needn't have worried. She was too busy watching Crocker like a momma hen to pay him any heed. He took his test, taking an occasional sly glance in Cindy's way. She was still watching Crocker every time he looked. But when it was time to hand in their tests, Cindy gave him a smirk.

What was that for? Not like she had had to take the dumb test.

Class seemed to take forever of course. But Timmy didn't let it get him down. There was a girl sitting in the desk who didn't think was a big dork or was completely creepy. He really didn't want her to start think he was dork just yet. Crocker gave boring lectures, interspersed with insane tirades about fairies, all through that morning.

Eventually, forever, it was time for lunch. And Timmy escorted Cindy to the lunchroom with pride. Now he could show off his new girl to everyone in school.

An empty table laid to one side of the room. "Come on, Cindy." He waved her toward that table. He grabbed her hand and started for it.

Cindy let herself be pulled along. "Why? What are you going to do?"

"Introduce you of course."

Timmy climbed onto the table and helped Cindy up. And cleared his throat. "Ah, can I please have your attention?"

No one even looked in his direction.

"Hey, listen up, you stooges," Cindy yelled. Everyone looked. "Timmy has to say to you." She turned to him. "Okay, they're all yours."

Timmy nodded. And turned to his new audience. "Hello all. This is someone I like you to meet. Her name is…"

"I know who that is," Veronica huffed. "It's that skank, Mindy Vorten."

"That's Cindy Vortex!" Cindy didn't look very happy.

"This might be harder than I thought," Timmy whispered to her.

"Yeah," she nodded. "Maybe you should tell them about your magic."

"Umm… yeah." He raised his voice. "I have another announcement to make. I, Timmy Turner, have magic."

"Well, that explains a lot," Trixie retorted. Everyone laughed. "And just what do you think you are doing with her? You're supposed to be _my_ boyfriend."

Timmy held his breath. "Uh oh."

-OOO-

"I think I'm losing control of the situation," Jimmy told his lunch.

"You might be under a lot of stress," Libby approached him carrying her own tray, "but that's no reason to talk to your food. And besides, don't you have a couple of guests to take care of?"

Jimmy looked up with a deep frown. "They weren't even supposed to be here. They were supposed at home."

"I know that, Jimmy. But it wasn't your fault that they were sent to our universe."

"I meant my home. Where they would stay out of trouble."

"Oh."

"Why did even they show up anyway? Don't they know how to follow instructions?"

"Maybe they're just too used to going to school I guess," Libby shrugged. "But don't look now, but here they come."

Jimmy looked. Elmer and Tootie were following Carl away from the lunchroom carrying trays and toward him. Jimmy sighed.

"Might as well see what they want, Jimmy," Libby said.

He nodded. Tootie, as she seemed to be the spokesperson of the two, had a lot of explaining to do.

"Jimmy," Carl said as sat across from him, "these two have been following since we left class. How do I get them to stop?"

Tootie sat down beside him. "Actually, Jimmy. We were only following him because we knew that he led us to you."

"I was following Tootie," Elmer pointed out.

"But why, Tootie, did you go to school?"

"That's what little kids like us have to do during the day. Duh!" she explained once again.

"Yeah," Jimmy said once again as well, "but these are hardly normal times. And this far from her universe. I don't want you to get hurt, or worse, before you get a chance to go back home."

"Oh, gee. I wouldn't want that happen." Tootie smiled. "But what are the chances of that happening?"

"Quite good of course." Sheen had appeared out of nowhere and sat on Jimmy's left. "It's usually about here where we go on globe-spanning adventures."

"Sheen, what are you talking about?" Jimmy asked.

"You know. Everyone gets into an argument and that sends on adventure around the world."

"That's crazy, Sheen. Where would a crazy idea like that?"

"Well, there was the time we all went to the island with the pygmy cannibals."

"Besides that?"

"And the time you were trapped with Cindy on that deserted island."

"Well, that…"

"And the time our parents were kidnapped by the Yolkians?"

"Yes, I get the point, Sheen?"

"Who's these Yolkians?" Elmer asked.

"Wait. I don't remember a big fight before our parents were kidnapped." Jimmy looked sharply at Sheen.

"Our parents wouldn't let us go to the Grand Opening because it was a school night."

"Oh yeah."

"They had their Grand Opening on a school night?" Tootie looked incredulous.

"Yeah, Tootie," Libby observed. "There are some real whackos in the world."

-OOO-

Vicky stepped softly down the hall. Her parents didn't want her to, but she just had to check up on her new baby sister. Make sure that she was all right. Mommy had said that the new baby was a special gift from above. And the little girl wasn't inclined to doubt her mother. Mother was always right.

She made her way to her baby sister's room. She cracked the door open. Her sister had kicked off her covers in her sleep. Vicky smiled. Tootie always did that. Vicky tip-toed in and went to Tootie's crib and looked contently on her. Everybody needed a baby sister, she decided. Or maybe a baby brother. Vicky didn't know too much about boys.

"You're lucky, Tootie," Vicky said softly. "You have your entire life ahead of you. While I have waste so many months of my life."

Vicky pulled up Tootie's blanket up to her chin and kissed her on the forehead. "Don't worry, Tootie-Cutie, I'll protect you and let nothing happen to you."

"Now how are you going to do that, wee one?" Something about that voice chilled Vicky's blood. She slowly looked up. A man in a dark grey suit and sunglasses. He seemed to be floating.

"Who are you, mister?" Vicky tried to keep her nervousness out of her voice, but she didn't know how successful she was.

"A massager. A delivery boy. Whatever my duty entails."

"Why are you here?" Vicky would do anything if only this creepy man would go around and leave Tootie alone. Perhaps Daddy would come and hurry this creep away. She opened her to yell… and suddenly she couldn't breath.

"We can't have any interruptions now. I can release you if you promise not to scream?"

Vicky nodded.

"Good."

She could breath. "How did you do that?" she asked nervously after she had regained her breathe.

"I have to take the child."

"Why? What did she ever to you? She's just a baby!"

"No, it is she _might_ do to my masters is the issue here. She must not stop their plans."

"Plans? What could their plans possibly do with us?"

"That is no concern of yours. And soon neither will your sister." He moved toward Tootie.

Vicky got between him and her sister. "Over my dead body, jerkface."

"That won't be necessary, I assure you." He stepped forward. Running out of choices, Vicky drove her foot toward his crutch. Which he promptly caught in mid-air, causing Vicky to lose her footing and flip over. "Very well, wee one. I'll make you a deal. I won't take away your sister if you agree to abuse her."

Vicky gasped. "I can't do that!"

"It's either that or I take away your sister."

Vicky answered.

By screaming.

Or she would have had she not lost her voice before she could.

"Breaking our promise, eh? That doesn't speak well of our relationship, now does it, wee one?"

'Stop calling me that,' she wanted to scream, but she couldn't. A million dirty that she had heard on the playground and in the lunchroom, but none of them went to her lips.

Nothing came out.

"I'll tell you what, wee one. You can sister if you beat her tonight," the creep smiled, "and you get your beautiful voice back if you beat your sister every night for the next month."

Vicky looked at her sister, tears already falling. _Please forgive me, Tootie. I know I won't_. She balled her hand into a fist and drove it toward Tootie's tummy.

-OOO-

When Vicky woke, she was screaming. When she realized she was in the park, on the bench she had decided to rest her eyes on, and hardly alone, she slowly began to settle herself down. There was something about that nightmare, but that was impossible. It was the kind of nightmare that would you until the end of your days, and Tootie was never nice to Tootie. Not once.

Maybe that was the part that she found familiar. Being so loving to Tootie. But that wasn't the part that really disturbed her. In the dream, she had been willing to hit a baby.

But why would she worry? It had been only a dream. Wasn't it? No matter what Vicky told herself, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had been through all that before.

Vicky sighed. Might as well get on with the chase for her AWOL parents. They might even be in the park that she had found herself in. She studied the faces in the crowd, seeing if any were at all familiar. She didn't see any.

She got up from the bench to continue her hunt, when suddenly she heard, "Why, Vicky Spain, just what are you doing here?"

Vicky's jaw dropped when she turned. "Mrs. Turner? What are _you_ doing here? I thought you would be at work at this hour."

"Lunch break." The twerp's mother sat down on the bench that Vicky had been on. "Shouldn't _you_ be at school?"

Vicky looked away. The crowd was thinner now. "I just didn't want to go school today. That's all, Mrs. Turner."

Mrs. Turner patted a spot on the bench beside her. "Alright. So why don't you Auntie Maria all about it?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"That's a good reason, I suppose."

A moment passed in silence. And Vicky began to feel uncomfortable.

"Fine. I'll sit by you." She sat down. "But I'm doing any talking."

Mrs. Turner sighed. "This reminds me of when I babysat you. Back when Timmy was just a baby himself." She smiled wistfully. "You used to help me change his diapers."

"_Excuse me_?" Vicky shrunk into the bench.

"Oh, you don't have to be embarrassed, Vicky. It's a normal, healthy part about raising a baby. And sometimes you even gave him a bath." Vicky was horrified by what she was hearing. Changing the twerp's diaper and giving him bathes? Impossible. Mrs. Turner watched the last of the park patrons disperse. "And to think that my husband hadn't heard of you until he saw your babysitting ads."

"That is odd, Mrs. Turner." Anything to take her thoughts from the fact she used to wipe the twerp's butt. She shivered.

"What's wrong, Vicky? Are you coming down with something?"

"No, nothing." _Only disgust_, Vicky thought bleakly.

"Well… you're not shaking now. So it must have been the wind."

"Yes. It was the wind."

Mrs. Turner looked toward an oddly round elm tree and sighed. "Have you heard from your parents lately, Vicky?"

"No. I haven't." She paused. "Why?"

"It seems they have disappeared. When I came by, nobody was home."

"They were home when I left for school this morning," Vicky lied.

"But you said you didn't go to school."

"I said that I didn't want to go, but I went anyway." She lied once more. She was really good at lying.

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I don't know." This was the truth. She didn't remember ever falling asleep on any park bench. Ever. And what was Mrs. Turner doing taking her lunch break in the park? Was this chance meeting meant to be? Suddenly Vicky felt very uncomfortable. "Do we have to talk about that, Mrs. Turner?"

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Vicky? What would you rather talk about?"

"Boy bands." She hadn't needed to think about it at all.

But before they could get started with that, Mrs. Turner's cell chirped. "Hello," she answered, "what can I do for you?… No, I don't where to reach them, Geraldine… I'll let them know when I see them." She put her cell away. "Vicky, it seems that your sister never showed up at school today."

Vicky shook her head. "I haven't seen her either."

Mrs. Turner sighed. "It's not the olds when you and your baby sister were as thick as thieves." Vicky's heart stopped. No, it couldn't be. "You would always pick her up when she fell." Vicky grew more antsy as Mrs. Turner listed off Vicky's good deeds of the past. "Wipe her face when she got carrots all over it. Get fresh diapers for whenever one of your parents change her diapers." Vicky relaxed. "Tuck her in at night when you thought nobody was looking. That sort of thing. You were the best big sister a girl could ask for."

Vicky slapped the woman and sprung from the bench, running and not bothering to hide her tears. She had made a terrible mistake and there was nothing in the world she possibly do about it.

Especially now that she had sent Tootie away.


	10. There has to be a Solution to This Probl

Fairly Oddparents and Jimmy Neutron copyright Viacom

Chapter 10: There has to be a Solution to This Problem!

Written: 18 Dec 2005-22 Dec 2005

Posted: 24 Dec 2005

Maria's cheek still felt warm from where Vicky had just slapped her. That girl's in a lot of trouble, if she could ever find her parents. Imagine. Slapping an adult like that!

She stood up. She was going to take the rest of the day off. Something very strange was going on, and she didn't like a single bit. She started making her way back to the office.

-OOO-

"Told you it wasn't a good idea," Timmy told Cindy after they found themselves a table.

"I'm sorry, Timmy. I hadn't thought there would be so many unbelievers around." It also didn't help that Timmy himself didn't believe. But he kept that particular concern unspoken.

"Would you have believed if I didn't give you a demonstration?"

Cindy looked thoughtful. "I'm not sure. But why didn't you give one of those demonstrations when everyone was jeering at you?"

The reason was that he wasn't prepared to give one. It was his fairy godparents who did the magic. But he couldn't tell her that. As it would entail revealing their existence. And that would be bad. Instead he said, "I don't think they should know."

"What? Why not?"

"They wouldn't believe me."

"They would if you showed them your magical abilities."

Timmy said nothing. It was something bothering him. If he kept with displaying "his" magic, then sooner or later, he (or Cosmo) was bound to slip up and expose his fairy godparents and make them go away forever. Timmy wasn't about to let that happen.

"Well?"

"It's… embarrassing."

"How embarrassing can it be? It's not like you have fairy godparents like your crazy teacher accused you having."

"Yeah," Timmy agreed uncertainly. "It's not I have fairy godparents."

Trixie appeared on the other side of the table. "Just what is this girl to you anyway, Timmy Turner?" she asked point-blank.

Timmy looked up. "What do you mean, Trixie?"

"I'm your girlfriend. Not her." She shot an accusing finger at Cindy.

"She's from out of town, and I'm showing her around."

"I can see that, Timmy Turner. Are you sure that it doesn't go further than that?"

"Yes, Trixie, I'm quite sure."

"She's not your girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend."

Timmy heard Cindy gasp beside him.

Trixie still didn't look satisfied with Timmy's answers to her questions. "Then what is she to you?" she repeated.

"She's a friend. A real good friend. But not my girlfriend."

"Then why is she looking at you like that?"

Timmy looked at Cindy. The sight gave him pause. Cindy was giving him the same exact look that Tootie gave him. "I don't know…"

"Oh, don't listen to him, Trixie. We're going to get married some day," Cindy said dreamily. "If I don't marry Nick that is."

"Why wouldn't you marry this Nick kid?"

"I can't think of a thing," Cindy boasted.

"Then marry him. Timmy's mine!"

Timmy was surprised by the vehemence in Trixie's voice. Just a couple of days before, she would have nothing to do with him. What was this secret that had her so obsessed like that? It was _his_ secret. He should know! "Let's discuss this years from now. You know? When we're old enough?"

"Timmy's right, Trixie," Cindy said. "We should wait until we meet with Veronica to have that discussion."

Timmy sighed. "Don't forget Tootie."

"Oh right. Her. What do you suppose happened to Tootie?"

"I wish I knew."

-OOO-

Tootie listened attentively to Jimmy as he talked about his latest invention. It might be just the thing to get her home. Though that didn't seem very likely. "This is my greatest invention ever. The holographic wish simulator." Jimmy showed the class a hair-dryer with a calculator slapped to its side. "It simply reads your thoughts and creates a hologram of your deepest, dearest wish."

"Just what good would that do?" Libby demanded.

"What good it will do? What good it will do?"

"Yes," the teacher said, Mrs. Fowl was it? "I was wondering the same thing. Wouldn't it have been more productive just to make something to make your wish come true?"

"Actually, Miss Fowl, this is something I just put together the other from leftover parts from other experiments, so, Libby, I don't know what it's for."

"Then why did you build it then?"

"Libby, please stop. I know what you're trying to do. But it's not working. You're not Cindy."

Libby looked down. "It just seems so quiet in here without her."

"This is all very interesting and all," a boy with an overbite said, "but will just show off your invention, so that we get on with our lives?"

"Oh, sure thing, Butch." Jimmy squeezed the trigger of the "hair blower" and an image of a blonde girl appeared in the desk next to Jimmy's.

Libby snickered. "It seems that I'm not the only one who misses Cindy."

"Obviously there's some kind of malfunction." He turned it off and the image disappeared. "I'll get home and work on it right after school."

"No, you ain't, Jimmy. You're supposed to working on getting Cindy back to us."

"And me and Elmer back home," Tootie whispered. Her eyes grew misty. She hated to admit it, but she was beginning to miss even Vicky.

-OOO-

Vicky had never been to this section of Dimmsdale, but she knew exactly where she was going. The group she was working with had given her direction to the place in case of emergencies. She would say this was an emergency. She no longer trusted those people. Fortunately she knew how to make people do what she wanted them to do.

She stopped in front of a metal gate. "1123 Wilson Way," she read. "This is the place." She put the note in her pocket and opened the gate and looked in. It was a Victorian mansion set in a well-manicured lawn. As Vicky walked the stone walkway, she admired the lawn. She wondered how many little kids they forced to mow it. They seemed to have their priorities in order, she reflected. She came up to the front door and knocked.

The door was cracked open. "What do you want?" The voice was, even in its quietness, menacing.

"I want my sister back!"

The voice chuckled. "So you must be little Vicky Spain."

Vicky narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

The door opened, and Vicky gasped when she saw who was behind the door. "Oh my how have we grown!" It was the bastard who had made her promise to abuse her own baby sister.

She swung her foot upward. Without a doubt she was about to hit his balls, which she was aiming for. But he did impossible. When her foot was about to be planted, he caught it and twisted it, causing her to flip around and land right on her face. "While I understand you trying to neuter me, be rest assured that violence will do you no good here."

Vicky sat up and nodded. "I see what you mean." She made no attempt to stand back up. "But I want my sister back. We made bargain, you and I. I've abusing my darling for your sick pleasure, yet you still took her away. You bastard."

The man raised his hands in a supplicatory gesture "I'm sorry, Vicky. But it's out of my hands. If I had my way, you would still be abusing your sister."

With more speed than Vicky had ever before contemplated, she managed to slug him. He doubled in pain, but he didn't fall. He smiled weakly. "I see you're a woman with conviction. There may yet be a way. But I don't think you're going to like it."

"Try me." Vicky smiled back.

The man recovered some of his posture. "We can send you to her. But we will have to send you…"

"Do it."

The man bowed. "If that is what you want."

"It is."

"But," the man raised a finger, "first you must do a favor for me."

"Name it."

"Come inside and I'll tell you."

The man led Vicky inside and the door closed behind her.

-OOO-

Britney chewed the eraser on the end of her pencil. She knew that math wasn't her best subject, but this particular problem was especially odd. The man who had invented long division ought to be drugged out onto the street and shot, she decided. Sometimes Cindy had helped with her with the math, but she was gone now. Due to Jimmy's recklessness no doubt.

Jimmy Neutron was the source of trouble in her life. He was probably the one who had invented long division for all she knew. She wouldn't be surprised if he was.

But she still needed help with her math. The problem she was currently working looked impossible. 1040/52. "There has to be a solution to this problem!" she said.

Libby looked over the back of her chair. "You need help, Britney?"

Britney nodded.

"It's quite simple, Britney."

"It doesn't look so simple to me."

"It's the simplest thing in the world, Britney. Let me see what you got." Britney turned the sheet around so that Libby could see. "I can see that you got the idea. It just takes a lot of divisions. That's why they call it _long_ division, Britney."

"Ah. Of course." Britney almost got it. But not quite.

"Look. 52 goes twice into 104, and it goes into zero zero times, so the answer is twenty. You see?"

Britney winced. She did see. It was all very simple. That particular problem at least. That left fifteen more of them. She sighed. She looked up at Libby. "Could you help me with a harder problem?"

Libby smiled. "Sure thing, Britney."

-OOO-

"Guys," Timmy told his fairies after walking into his bedroom, "Tootie has been gone for far too long." Cindy wasn't in sight, and having his room, even for just a minute, felt great.

"I thought you wanted to do nothing with Tootie, sweetie," Wanda said.

"Well, I don't," Timmy admitted. "But I'm afraid something's happened to her."

Cosmo cocked her head. "What makes you say _that_?"

"Tootie hasn't bothered me all day long."

"You're right, sport. That it is odd. But maybe she's sick."

Timmy nodded his head. "No, I don't think so." _Could it be?_ Wanda wondered. _Does he have the power?_ "Wherever she is, I'm sure that she's perfectly healthy."

"I'm sure he is," Cosmo agreed. "Why don't you wish to know where Trixie was? You know she likes you."

It seemed to be too much for him. "I wish I knew where Tootie Spain was," he said.

Wanda would often get the feeling that things were about to go spectacularly wrong. And she was often right. It seemed to be one of those times just now. "Are you sure, Timmy?" she cautioned. "You might not like the answer."

Timmy eyed her suspiciously. "What do you mean?"

"I have been trying to locate her since this morning when Cosmo noticed that Tootie hadn't bothered you."

"Huh! Why didn't tell me?"

"We didn't want to worry you, sport."

"Yeah," Cosmo said, "and you don't seem the type to have anything to do with her."

"Not if she's missing!" Timmy absently rubbed his arm. "I have a little confession of my own to make."

"What is it?" Wanda asked.

"Vicky's parents came by last night and told me that she had sent her sister away."

"Ah, Timmy, I like to remind you that

"Did you ask them how they knew?" Wanda pressed.

Timmy shook his head.

"Don't you find that a little strange that they would know?"

"Not really."

Wanda sighed. "All right. Let's just ask them ourselves then."

"But…"

Wanda reached up with her wand and tapped on the ceiling. And two very surprised adults fell out of a trap door that Wanda knew Timmy was completely unaware of. She had already disguised herself as a human. And Cosmo… was back in the fish bowl. "Look at what we have here. Two runaways."

Mrs. Spain looked terrified. "You won't tell anyone that we're here, are you?"

"That's the last thing I would do." Wanda lowered her voice. "Especially since you're both hiding from Vicky and all."

Mr. Spain gaped. "How did you know that we're hiding from Vicky?"

"Why else would you hide in the Turner's attic?" Wanda shrugged.

"That makes sense, I guess," Mrs. Spain admitted. "But who are you?"

"A friend of the family," Wanda replied. It was even the truth. It was just that neither Wanda nor Cosmo had talked to Timmy's parents in awhile. "Perhaps you should press charges against her."

"We can't do that!" Mr. Spain's eyes grew bigger.

"She'll find out!"

"Good God in heaven, people. Are you her parents or not?"

The Spains looked at each uncomfortably. "Uh…"

"I promise. Whatever happens I'll protect you from her."

"Not from her!" Mrs. Spain wailed.

"Oh, I have ways to deal with her," Wanda promised.

The Spains looked at each other for support. "Alright, we have a deal." Mr. Spain held out his hand. And they shook.

"So now what do we do?" Timmy asked.

"We wait," Wanda told him. "And plan."

"Wait? Wait for what?"

"For Vicky to make her move."


	11. A Favor for a Favor

Fairly Oddpareants and Jimmy Neutron copyright Viacom

Chapter 11: A Favor for a Favor

Written: 30 Dec 2005-8 Jan 2006

Posted: 8 Jan 2006

Maria forced herself to relax as she drove the client to the Baxter Estate. She hadn't reacted strongly when Vicky had slapped him. So why would she now?

"Are you feeling all right, miss?" Mr. Henderson said from the passenger seat.

"It's just a girl I know. It's nothing. Really."

"It doesn't look like nothing," he said, indicating Maria's clenched hands. "Maybe I should be the one who drives us there."

Maria breathed in deep and forced her hands to relax. "No, I'm fine. You needn't concern yourself about me."

"Actually, it wasn't you I was most concerned about."

Maria laughed bashfully. "Of course. But don't you worry, Mr. Henderson. I will get there safe and sound."

Mr. Henderson nodded. "I thank you. I'm new to this neighborhood and would never find a home without your help."

"Well… I'm just doing my job. Any certified RealEstate realtor would done have the same."

"Not to the extant that you have done."

Maria felt a blush coming. "That's nice of you to say."

"Especially after having trouble with your daughter."

"Excuse me? I don't have a daughter."

"Sorry. I just assumed…"

"If it was my daughter, I would have said so. If you must know, it's the babysitter."

"What seems to be the problem?"

She didn't know why, but she it seemed perfectly natural to share her life with this man. "She seemed to be awfully upset about something. I wish I knew what it was, though."

"Do you talk about anything in particular before she started crying?"

"Yes. We were talking about she used to inseparable from her baby sister."

"What would their names be?"

"Vicky and Tootie. Why?"

"Spain?"

"Uh-huh. Just why are you asking all these questions, Mr. Henderson?"

"Why I'm just a well-wisher who only hopes for the best for those two girls."

"Okay. But you got a hole burning in your pocket as well," Maria joked.

"Now that we're such good friends and all, would you mind doing me a favor?"

"Oh? What would it be?"

"I'm sorry that I haven't been totally honest with you." He paused. "I'm really looking for a new home."

"You're not?"

"As turns out, I can't even afford one."

"But how did you…?"

"Do you know of a place that I can stay? A hotel you can recommend perhaps?"

"That's nonsense. You can stay at our house."

Mr. Henderson bowed to her wishes. "It would my honor."

Maria didn't know why she invited the stranger, one proven to be dishonest at that, to stay at her house, but she thought nothing of more of it.

-OOO-

"Relax, guys. This should work now," Jimmy said as he tightened the last screw and closed the panel on the machine that looked like a big can with a knobby donut around it. Though Tootie didn't see why it would. Jimmy had been at this for hours and still hadn't made any progress. She wished that she could just wish herself home. But she couldn't. So she was stuck there.

Tootie was sitting next to Elmer on stools in Jimmy's lab, watching him working on getting them back to their universe.

Something came to her, but eluded her. It seemed to be… No, it couldn't be.

Could it?

Jimmy flipped the switch for the umpteenth time, clearly expecting to do something different else this time. Tootie wasn't surprised when it didn't. Maybe Jimmy Neutron just wasn't the right boy for the job. But if he wasn't, then who was?

The machine wasn't even any making any whirling noises or anything like it usually did. Apparently it did do something else. "Isn't that supposed to make some of whirly sounds?" Tootie asked timidly.

"Yes, Tootie. It is." Jimmy turned off the machine and opened up the panel again. "I don't understand it. There has to be some way to break through the inter-dimensional barrier. There's simply no way that this barrier is completely impervious to my attempts."

"Maybe you don't have enough power," Elmer suggested.

"No, power is not the power. According to these calculations, I need to use half of the power that this lab is capable of generating. It's getting all that power to where's it needed is the problem."

"Where's that?

"Where's what, Tootie?"

"Where you need all that power."

Jimmy looked up from his keyboard. "Oh yes. That. Well, Tootie, it's kind of hard to explain. You need understanding of higher mathematics to understand it."

"Can't you teach it to me?"

"I don't know. I guess I could give it give it a try. But wouldn't you much rather get home?"

Of course! How could she forget? She lowered her head, blushing. "You're right, Jimmy. But do you know anyone who could teach me?"

A second passed before Jimmy answered. "Yes."

Tootie swallowed. "Who is it?"

"Cindy."

"Oh. I didn't know."

"That's alright, Tootie." Jimmy pressed a button. And the machine started humming again. "I will get her back."

-OOO-

"Who are these people, Jimmy? And what are they doing in my room?"

"It's not your room, Cindy! It's mine. You're just borrowing it," Timmy reminded her. "They're Tootie's parents."

Cindy eyed them icily. "Where's Tootie? And what are you doing here?"

It was Mrs. Spain who answered while her husband who whimpered. "We don't know where our daughter is. Either of them. We just need help getting them back to us."

"Vicky more spiritual than physical," Mr. Spain said softly. Almost too softly for Timmy to hear.

"Do you have any clue as to what had happened to them?" Cindy had softened the edge to her voice.

"Vicky has sent Tootie away," Mr. Turner said.

"Away? Away to where?"

Mrs. Spain stared out of the window. "We don't know." She sighed. "I wonder if Vicky herself knows…"

The phone rang. Timmy and Cindy stared at each other. He shrugged off her stare and picked up the phone. "Yes?"

"Timmy," Trixie said without preamble, "I want you to get your butt down here at my house now."

"Why? What's this about?"

"I'll tell you when you get here." She cut off the line.

Timmy hung up. And looked up. "I'm sorry, guys. It looks like I have to go."

"Why?" Cindy asked. "Who was that on the phone?"

"It was Trixie. And she wants me to come over to her house."

"Whatever for?"

Timmy hemmed. "She didn't say."

"Then I'm going with you."

"Okay." Timmy could see no reason for Cindy not to.

-OOO-

Vicky stepped off the elevator, followed by Julius Casius, as she had learned was his name on the trip down. Which had taken far too long. The room she walked into was the largest one she had ever been in. She hadn't known that there were rooms this size. The circular chamber stretched half the distance between her house and the twerp's. A catwalk stretched out before her. Three more just like ran to each corner. In the center was a building three times the size of her house. She couldn't see a ceiling or a floor to the place. "What is this place?" she asked in awe.

"Never mind that." Casius bumped her forward. "You're here to see the Master."

"Ah. Right."

Vicky started forward. She had no fear of heights, so she walked down the catwalk with no hesitation. Which was good, as she wanted to give the right impression. She was no timid, little doe to be cowed. She was Vicky Spain, and no one was going to tell her what to do.

Or what she couldn't do.

When she had got halfway across the catwalk, a man walked out of the front door of the building. He wore a dark business suit and a pair of shades over his eyes. He looked like one of those Men in Black that UFO freaks keep talking about. Vicky shivered. Maybe those UFO nuts weren't wrong after all. Vicky felt a chill. _Maybe they were going to zap me with something and make me forget all this_, she thought. _Maybe I shouldn't even be here._

It was too late for second thoughts now, so she girded herself up and strode the remaining distance to the suspended building.

The man in the black suit smiled when Vicky stepped onto the porch. But, due to the shades he was wearing, she couldn't tell if the smile went to his eyes or not. "Welcome to my humble abode, Vicky. What brings you by?"

"You know perfectly well what, punk. I want my sister back."

"Please. Call me Joshua. But, alas, I did not know. I asked Julius here not to tell me such things. I prefer to hear such things from the applicant herself. But, Vicky, we had ourselves a deal. You get rid of your sister in exchange for us finding the reason for so many strange things happening in your life."

"And did you?"

"Of course. We had only a day to work on the problem. Since you carried out your end of the bargain."

"You waited until I betrayed Tootie to you pigs to get started."

"Naturally. We aren't absolutely sure that you would keep your end of the deal until you actually did. We pick her up, and her friend, and they sent them on their way."

That took Vicky's breath away. "You got rid of the little dork, too?"

"Yes."

"But that wasn't part of the deal." Vicky narrowed her eyes. "How do I know that you won't send me away to some other universe?"

"Now, if we did that, how would we tell you our findings?"

"I don't care about that. I just want my sister back."

"I think she remembers." Julius spoke for the first time since the elevator.

"It seems that she has," Joshua agreed. He turned back to Vicky. "Now if you will into my parlor with me…"

"'Said the spider to the fly,'" Vicky quoted.

Joshua chuckled. "Not quite, my dear. Not quite." Not waiting for Vicky, he went back into the building. Seeing no other choice, Vicky followed him in. Julius did so, too.

"Julius already promised that you would send me to her if I did a favor."

Joshua stopped and gave Julius a glance. "Is this true, Julius?"

Julius nodded. "It is, Joshua."

"I see. And what would this favor be?"

Vicky nodded in agreement. She wondered what this favor could possibly be.

"It's simple, actually. I want her to sing a song."

"What? That's it?"

"Hardly." Julius sat down in a chair and motioned Vicky to do the same. She opted to remain standing. He assented to her choice. "There is something you should know about the favor that Julius asks of you."

"Oh really? What's that?"

"It's a particular song that he wants you to sing. And he's very particular about how it is to be sung. He has looking for a voice to compare to his wife he has lost to small pox all those years ago."

"Small pox? I thought that was eliminated."

"Not before the sixties, when they took a trip to India on a pilgrimage of sorts."

Vicky took another look at Julius. "He doesn't look that old."

"None of us do."

Huh, so it's a fraternity of old men who try to hold onto their youth. Even though it seemed to be successful, it was still pathetic. "How would I know if getting this song right? I never heard this lady before."

"You might be surprised about that."

"Huh?"

"Never mind that," Joshua said. "But don't you worry, Vicky. We do have recording equipment and recordings of Mrs. Casius's voice for you to practice your voice on. But, be forewarned, Vicky, if you disappoint Julius with your singing then you could never any dealings with us. Except to receive your answer via bank deposit boxes of course."

"Then I guess I'll take my time, huh?" Vicky's grin was crooked.

-OOO-

Timmy knocked on the door. And waited in silence for Trixie. He had somehow lost Cindy on the way here. He had come to realize that he wanted to talk to Trixie by himself. He had some things to tell.

And some things he wanted her to tell him.

"Guys," he asked his fairies, "do I look alright for a heart-to-heart confessional with Trixie?"

"I don't know, sport," Wanda said. "Perhaps a visit with her best friend could smooth things over."

"Maybe…"

-OOO-

Trixie perked up when she heard the doorbell. "That must be Timmy now."

"Don't take too long, Trixie. Your turn's next and I have a move planned that will knock your socks off," Veronica told her as Trixie stood up.

Trixie giggled. "And here I thought I was going to knock your socks off."

Veronica shook her head in mock pity. "Tried to warn her."

Trixie laughed as she went to answer the door.

When she got there, she slowly cracked open it. When she saw who it was, her mouth widened into a joyous smile and she flung open the door. "Timantha, you're back!"

She flung her arms around Timantha and gave her a great, big bear hug. Timantha stiffened herself before letting herself relax and embrace Trixie. The hugged for a minute or two before they let go of each other.

And then Trixie slapped Timantha. "How dare you stand me at my birthday party!"


	12. Trixie and Timantha

Fairly Oddparents and Jimmy Neutron copyright Viacom

Chapter 12: Trixie and Timantha

Written: 9 Jan 2006-16 Jan 2006

Posted: 16 Jan 2006

"What is _she_ doing here?" Timmy had never known such venom could have from Veronica. Although she had come close a time or two.

Trixie nudged Timmy forward. "She is my good friend Timantha, who I had told you about."

"Oh yes. I remember her now." Why wasn't she even talking to him? He was right there in the room with them. Trixie sat him down next to her on the couch. "But why is she here?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Trixie asked. "She is right there after all."

"Very well." And Veronica eyed him with suspicion. "You look familiar. Why is that?"

"Maybe because you saw a picture of me?" Timmy ventured.

"Can't be. I never have even seen a drawing of you."

"Oh." That certainly did change things. What if she realized that he was Timmy, and not the girl by the name of Timantha he appeared to be? He didn't know. But it was sure to be very bad.

"Or maybe you seen me somewhere before."

"Yes, that must be it." Veronica's stare made Timmy a tad bit uncomfortable. "But just remember, girl. I'm Trixie's best friend not you."

Trixie cleared her throat. That pulled Veronica and Timmy's attention toward her. "I'm one who says who my best friends are. Not you, Veronica."

She blushed and looked away. "Yes. Of course, Trixie." She frowned. "When is Timmy getting here?"

"I don't know, Veronica. He'll get here when he gets here."

Timmy felt a guilty about that. "Why is he coming here?"

"Because I asked him to." When Trixie didn't explain any further, Timmy had to ask why. "We have something that discussing with him. Something important."

"What is it? Maybe I can help."

"Our future relationship together."

"What's there to talk about what? When a boy and a girl love each other, it's natural that-"

"That's not the problem," Trixie informed him. "It's that he's spending too much with that Cindy girl."

"Much, much too much time," Veronica agreed.

"But, guys, she's from out of town and Timmy has to-"

"What do you know about this?" Veronica asked. "Are you Timmy's long lost sister or something?"

Timmy felt as if he had lost a couple inches in height, and Trixie was eyeing him closely. "You do look kinda like Timmy. I thought that you were an only child."

He prepared an answer to their questions.

-OOO-

"If I ever get my hands on him," Cindy growled, "I'm going to ring his little neck."

"Ring whose neck, Cindy?"

She looked up and found Chester looking down at her from on top of a car. "Just what are you doing on top of that car?" She also wondered how she wandered onto the driveway.

"Looking out for A.J.," Chester said as-matter-as-factly. "Why else?"

"Oh. Of course." Her skeptical must have shown as Chester explained, "We're playing King of the Mountain, and I have it."

"And the car is the mountain?"

"It's A.J.'s dad's car. He said that it's okay."

"A.J. or his father?"

"His dad of course. Do you think I'm some jerk who would climb onto someone's car without permission?"

"Oh I wouldn't know. I don't know you at all."

"That's too bad, Cindy. Once you get to know me, you'll find I'm quite the gentleman."

"There is one thing you could do for me."

"Name it," Chester announced.

"Do you know where Trixie Tang lives?"

"Of course. Who doesn't"

Cindy gave him a look.

"Uhmm, yeah. I'll show after I beat the socks off of A.J."

"You could just give me directions. I am pretty good with a map."

"Now that wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me, now would it?"

Cindy sighed. "Boys!"

-OOO-

It had taken a couple hours, but Jimmy thought he had finally reached the solution that he was after. Instead of trying to get into Tootie's universe, he would take her and her friend to another universe and try it from there. If that didn't work, he would try yet another universe. And so on. The only problem he could see was how he was bringing the equipment along. But he was confident that he would find a way.

When he shared his new plan with Tootie, she didn't seem too impressed. "What are you talking about?"

Jimmy sighed. This was going take some explaining. "The barrier has blocked our attempts to get your universe thus far."

"Huh-uh."

"Well, perhaps I can find a way around the barrier in another universe. If the first doesn't work, than we would go on the next. And the next. And the next. And so on."

"I don't know," Tootie said quietly. "I would Vicky would be more through than that."

Jimmy gasped. "You actually think that Vicky is capable of creating such a barrier? No, I think it's more likely she had help. The girl I had met wasn't exactly a scientific genius."

"Maybe she used a machine."

"But where did that machine come from?"

"Oh."

"But, at any rate, you're right, Tootie. The force behind sending you two here just might have a barrier cutting off your universe from all others. But this is the only chance we've got to get you two back home." He clapped his hands. "Alright, here's what I want you to do." And he gave them instructions.

-OOO-

"The thing is… Timmy Turner is my cousin."

Trixie nodded. "Thanks for telling us that. I find that honesty usually works best."

"Usually?"

Trixie chuckled. "I suppose it's sometimes necessary to lie in order to protect national security."

Timmy swallowed. "Oh yes. Of course," he said, racking his brains trying to think of how his little, white lie was protecting national security. He couldn't think of a thing.

Trixie frowned as she looked at the clock. "Where _is_ Timmy? He should be here by now."

"I wouldn't know," Timmy said, a little defensively for his tastes, but it was too late to do anything about it now.

"I know that you wouldn't, Timantha," Trixie reassured him. "I was just talking to myself there."

"I wouldn't admit to that, Trixie," Veronica said. "You have a guest here. She might think that you're really weird."

"Relax, Veronica. After all, we're all friends here." Trixie winked at Timmy. He shrunk back to his chair. This wasn't going as well he had hoped. He didn't feel too much like a friend just then. "Right, Timantha?"

Timmy was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't realize that she was talking to him at first. "Right."

-OOO-

"Timmy!" Maria called out. "We have a new guest." No answer came. She turned to Mr. TK. "I guess he's not home."

"That's all right, Mrs. Turner. I can wait."

"Well, alright." She started for the phone. "Make yourself at home, while I call all of Timmy's friends to make sure he's okay."

Mr. Henderson nodded and sat himself unto the couch.

-OOO-

"Are you even sure that he's showing up?" Cindy kicked a stone over.

"Yeah. Why?"

She looked at her watch. "Because it's been over thirty minutes and no one has shown up! That's why."

"Oh," Chester mouthed. "Well maybe he forgot he was playing King of the Mountain with me."

"Ah you think?"

"Don't you fret too much, miss. I'm sure that he'll along shortly."

Cindy frowned. The boy had just contradicted himself. "Why do you think that?"

"He always does," Chester assured her.

"Of course."

-OOO-

The reason that A.J. wasn't playing games with Chester anymore was that Trixie had employed to secretly determine just what Timmy's little secret was. And so he was in his lab working on that project. He had forgotten to tell Chester that he wasn't going to come, but now it was too late.

He hoped that Chester would be able to forgive him. He didn't know if he himself would. He had bailed on his friend at a rather inconvenient time. And all because the most popular and prettiest girl in school asked him to do something for her.

And here he had thought that was beyond that sort of thinking. But she had asked so well…

He was looking through all of the records of Timothy Turner he could dig up. But as he went through them, the less and less he could find. It was almost as if someone had went through the records and removed anything at all interesting from them. But who would have done that? Timmy was the most boring kid on the planet.

Or was he?

Perhaps his was an illegitimate birth and the records had been purged to save someone the shame. But who was the parent? Timmy's dad or his mom? A.J. retrieved the DNA samples that he had surreptitiously obtained and began his testing.

An hour later the results astounded him.

"I've done it!" he cried out. "I know what Timmy's secret is. I have gotta tell Trixie this."

He reached for his phone.

-OOO-

Trixie observed Timantha as she talked uncomfortably with Veronica. What was with those two? Trixie promised herself that she would find out.

The phone rang. "Hello, Trixie Tang speaking. How may I direct your call?" She had wasted no time in answering.

"Trixie, I have that answer for you," A.J. replied on the other end of the line.

"Excellent. I'll be there shortly." She hung up. "Timantha. Veronica. There's something I have to take care of." She sighed. "I had hoped that Timmy would be with me when I go. But it seems that won't be happening." She said good-bye to both of them and left.

-OOO-

Trixie didn't know it, but Timantha and Veronica followed her to wherever she was going.


	13. Vicky Sings

It's becoming increasingly clear that this story is going have to have a sequel. It will out just after this story is finished.

Fairly Oddparents and Jimmy Neutron copyright Viacom

Chapter 13: Vicky Sings

Written: 16 Jan 2006-8 Feb 2006

Posted: 8 Feb 2006

Vicky's throat was starting to feel sore. She had been practicing the song for the past six years, and began to really consider having herself a break. Joshua had said that she could take all the time she needed. But that wasn't going to get to her beloved sister any faster. Every second she waited, her guilt grew all the more.

She had to find Tootie.

It was all her fault that Tootie was missing. If she hadn't gone to these people in the first place, Tootie would still be home, and so would their parents. Actually she would still be abusing them, but they still would have been home!

"I think it's about that you took a break," Joshua admonished her.

Vicky jumped. "Jeez, don't sneak up on me like that!" Her voice sounded hoarse.

"Oh? How should I sneak up on you then?" That bastard! He actually sounded amused.

"You shouldn't sneak up on me at all!"

"Actually, I making every effort to be heard," he said quietly. "It seems that you weren't paying any attention to your surroundings."

"Was too."

Joshua seemed to pout a little. "And here I thought you were mature than that."

"I am."

"I'm glad to hear it. Why don't show me that maturity of yours? Let me listen to your beautiful voice."

"I think I should take a break first."

Joshua nodded. "Yes. Perhaps you're right. You do sound a little hoarse, now that I think of it. Let me show I where I relax."

"Where would that be?"

Joshua brought his finger to her lips. "Hush, my child. You'll break your voice that way."

Vicky flashed him venomous stare. Where did he get off…?

Nevertheless, she followed him into the hall. She was beginning to be a little curious about this relaxation spot of his. Where would a man like this go to relax?

As Joshua led her down the hall, she passed by several open door on either side of her, but didn't see anyone. "Where is everybody?"

"They are taking the day off."

"Why? Is it some kind of holiday?"

"Not really. And please don't talk. It's hard on your voice."

"What do you do around here?"

"That is none of your concern." He stopped at a set of doors at the end of the hall. He smiled. "You might want to hold my hand, lest we separated. It's very easy to get lost in here."

Vicky, believing him, took his hand into hers. And they went in.

-OOO-

Libby knocked impatiently at the door to Jimmy's clubhouse. "We know that you're in there, Jimmy. We demand that you let us in. We want to help look for Cindy, too. Right, guys?" She looked back at Carl and Sheen to gather their support.

They seemed far too distracted to give her that support. "Guys, I could use your help now," she said through clenched teeth.

"We agree with one hundred percent," Sheen hastily said.

"With whatever you had just said," Carl added just as hastily.

Libby sighed and rolled her eyes. "Boys."

Finally, Jimmy answered. "I'll get to you in a second, guys. I'm kind of busy here."

"Oh really? Just what are you doing down there?"

Jimmy was already off the intercom.

"Just great," Libby said. She looked at Sheen and Carl. "I guess we wait here until he gets back to us."

"Wait? Wait?" Sheen began. "What do you mean wait!" He pulled up his sleeves. "He's planning on going to Tootie's universe without us. I say we dig our way down into his lab and stop him."

"Sheen, this is Jimmy we're talking about. He wouldn't do that to us."

"Don't be so sure, Libs."

"What are you talking about, Sheen?"

Sheen paused for thought. "I don't know."

Libby sighed. "Of course."

The intercom came to life again. "Okay, guys. You can come in now."

"See, Sheen I told you that he wouldn't leave us."

"We shall see," Sheen said mysteriously.

Very soon, Sheen, Libby and Carl met with Jimmy, Tootie and Elmer in Jimmy's lab. "What is going on around here?" Libby demanded. "Why haven't you included us in your plans?"

"I will understand if you don't include me in your plans, Jimmy," Carl said. "It's all right if you don't."

"No one is leaving any of you out of our plans, Carl." Jimmy lowered his gaze. "It's just that… I sort of… forgot about you."

"Figures." Libby had to be the one to say it. Cindy simply wasn't there to continue her fight with him anymore. So somebody else had to take her place. Libby simply saw that it had to be her. She saw no other candidate for the job. "He drives Cindy away and he forgets all about us."

"It's nothing like that, guys. I, uh…"

"That's alright, Jimmy." Sheen sat on Jimmy's chair. "Cindy can be pretty annoying."

"And bossy," Carl added.

"And opinionated."

"Okay, guys," Libby said, "I get it. I don't need a description of her. I know how she's like," she said with closed eyes. "Jimmy?"

"Yes, Libby?"

"When you go and search of Cindy, would you please take us with you?"

"Of course, Libby. We all know what Cindy is like."

"Jimmy," Tootie said as she emerged from behind the computer, "I was wondering. What is Cindy like?"

"Where's Elmer?" Jimmy asked.

"He's with your mother."

"Ah, yes."

His wrist-communicator beeped. He answered it. "Jimmy," his mother said from the kitchen, "there is a strange lady who wants to see you. She says it's important."

"Mom, can't it wait?"

A new face appeared in the view screen. It was the woman from the town hall meeting. "We need to talk."

"Of course. I will be right up." He cut off the line and turned to Libby. "I don't know how long I'll be. Please make sure nothing goes wrong." He lowered his voice so that only Libby could hear. "And don't let them touch anything." Meaning specifically Carl and Sheen. But he supposed that could also be extended to Tootie as well.

"You can count on me, Jimmy."

He nodded. He had already knew that.

Before he left, though, he said to Tootie, "I had thought I already told you what Cindy was like."

"Well, you didn't really tell me anything."

Jimmy nodded. "Okay. I take all the time in world so that you would be able too know her."

"Thank you, Jimmy."

Jimmy shrugged. "Hey, it's what I do."

-OOO-

She began her singing again. It was melodious sound that came from her lips. One she had never heard in her life.

She wished she could sing forever.

"It is time."

She looked up. "It is?"

"But of course. You got the song down perfectly. Now we mustn't leaving Julius waiting for your performance."

"You really think that I'm ready…?" She knew she sounded a little clingy, but she was, during a momentary slip, a little too eager to hide it.

"Of course. Would you think that I would lie to you?"

Vicky said nothing. She was sure that Joshua knew her true feelings about him. He had to.

She got up and followed him out of the recording studio.

-OOO-

Jimmy met with the mysterious stranger in the kitchen. They sat at the table as he waited for her to begin. For awhile she didn't. She just sat there apparently studying him. Jimmy begun to wonder if she really had anything to say. Or if she were just crazy. But, at long last, she began speaking. "Do you know where Cindy is?" An odd way to start a conversation, but all right.

"She went with Timmy to his universe."

"Wouldn't you like how that's possible?"

"The thought has occurred to me."

"Timmy has help. Magical help."

Jimmy raised an eyebrow at that. "What sort of magical help?" He didn't believe in magic, but he was curious to hear what her reaction would be.

The woman leaned in closer and spoke softly. "Fairies."

"Why would fairies want to help Timmy?" _If they existed_, Jimmy added silently. He spoke just as softly.

"I'm not at liberty to say. But," she added, "if really wanted to know, just ask Cindy."

"Yeah, about that. Could you give me a hand finding a way to her?"

The woman sighed. "I'm sorry, Jimmy, but that's not my area of expertise." She produced a card from somewhere and handed it to him. "If you need me, just give me a call." She touched his shoulder. "Wherever you find yourself."

Jimmy nodded.

"See you around."

After the woman left, Jimmy read the card.

Katherine Jones

Troubleshooter

(555) 555-5555

Jimmy scratched his head. Who was this woman? And why did she have to be theatrical about everything she did? Like that getting the card from nowhere business. Was it really necessary?

He sighed. This line of reasoning wasn't going to get him anywhere. He placed the card into his pocket and got up in order to return to his lab. But his mother stopped him.

"Jimmy, what was that about?"

"I don't know, mom," he answered truthfully.

"What are trying to do in your lab?"

"Trying to get Cindy back. Mom, is this going to take long? I have work to do."

"Are you planning to visit other dimensions, young man?"

"Yeah…"

"Next time you're planning on leaving this universe, you should really tell me first."

Jimmy nodded. "Sure thing, mom." He frowned. "Where's Elmer?"

"Oh. He went back to your lab."

"Okay thanks, mom."

-OOO-

Vicky entered the room.

She had not thought she would be seeing Julius so quickly. But upon seeing him again, her hate of him grew. He didn't seem to notice. He bowed politely. "It is, as always, a pleasure to be graced with your presence, little one."

"Stop calling me that," Vicky growled.

Julius said nothing.

"When can I start so I can get this over with?"

"At any time."

"Good." Vicky began to sing.

She didn't understand the words. They were in a language that she had never heard before. But they spoke of hope and rebirth, completely contrary to Vicky's nature. But she managed to sing them from heart. It was almost as if she had been born to sing this very song, but that of course was impossible.

When she was done, she saw Julius wipe a tear form his eye. So the bastard goes all weepy over a stupid song, but he hardens when a little girl is forced to abuse her little sister, huh? Well, he was bound for a surprise.

One that Vicky herself would arrange.

"That performance was perfect beyond my wildest hopes. I am satisfied. She may go to her sister."

Joshua turned to Vicky. "Do you have anything that you wish to bring with you?"

Vicky nodded. _You bet that I do._

"Then go home and get started. We don't have much time."

"Why not?"

"You needn't worry your pretty head about it, Vicky. It is well under control."

Must they patronize her so?

-OOO-

The Gate opened. A robotic scout started moving forward toward it. As it headed toward the Gate, Jimmy told them, "Let's see what it's like in this universe?"

The probe disappeared into the Gate. Now the only signs of its existence were the cables trailing behind the probe, allowing communication with home base. Jimmy learned from the experience of the first universe he visited, the air might not be the most breathable.

The first telemetry came in. Everything seemed to working perfectly with the probe, which he had been expecting. The first reports about the other side of the Gate were beginning to come in.

"Do you think it's safe?" Sheen asked. "You do what happened last time?"

Jimmy sighed. He was just in the middle of finding that out. And he did remember what had happened last time. "Sheen, I'm a little busy here."

"I'm sorry, Jimmy, but every universe that you opened up on turned out to be a death trap."

"Death trap?" Jimmy laughed. "I wouldn't go _that_ far."

"Oh? What about that last one? The one with the death legions? The kind that even Ultra Lord would have a hard time defeating."

"Yes, but-"

"Or the one before? With the ruins of Retroville covered with landmines every few feet! What are you trying to do? Get us all killed?"

"But, Sheen, we never actually stepped into any of those awful places."

"True. But-"

"So if you don't mind, I like to get back to work now." He returned to his computer. And to the incoming data. Air was breathable. Gravity normal. No signs of strange microorganisms. But the camera still wasn't sending back any images.

"Darn it. Why isn't it working?"

"How should I know, Jimmy?" Sheen said. "It's your equipment."

Jimmy looked up at him. "It's not that. It's-" He paused. There was something about the pacing of the incoming test pattern that tickled his brain. It was almost like somebody was sending him a message. But that obviously wasn't true. Nobody could possibly that… sloppy. It almost looked a language. But it almost certainly wasn't.

Then probe failed completely.

"That's it." Jimmy pounded the keyboard with his fist. "I'm going in to investigate."

"Now, Jimmy," Libby said, "are you sure that's such a good idea?"

"Unfortunately no. But who else is there that can repair the probe?"

-OOO-

Tootie hesitated. She wanted to return to Jimmy and see how far he had progressed. But a tiny voice in her head was telling her to wait. "But why must I wait, O voice in my head?"

No answer came.

She sighed, looking at the mirror behind the bathroom sink. Perhaps she could Jimmy break through this barrier-thingy, she decided. Anything was better than just waiting around for a way back to her Timmy.

Figuring that she had waited long enough, she left the bathroom and headed for Jimmy's lab. At least that pesky voice in her head had grown silent.

-OOO-

A.J. showed her into his lab. From the look on his face, Trixie could see that whatever that he had found was, was big. So she immediately began to wonder what it might possibly be. Was Timmy adopted? Did he have some kind of weird disease? Was he even human?

Trixie hoped that it wasn't too far to A.J.'s lab. This line of reasoning wasn't doing her any good. And she couldn't exactly share her thoughts with him. It just wouldn't do to appear weak to the unpopular. They might just take advantage.

She wouldn't blame them.

She had used to be unpopular, and that had been exactly how she had gotten popular.

A.J. led Trixie into his bedroom. "I thought you were leading me to your labotoray."

"I am."

A.J. hit a button in the wall.

And all his bedroom furniture disappeared.

And was replaced by all sorts of lab equipment.

"Oh."

A.J. showed her to his computer. "What do you have for me?"

"This." He pressed a button and an image appeared on the screen. Trixie didn't understand it at all.

Trixie looked over A.J.'s shoulder. "What is this?" It seemed to be some kind of chart or something.

"It's the genetic profile of Timmy and his parents." Trixie nodded. "I did so checking of their DNA, and I found something peculiar. They didn't match. So I checked another set of samples. Same results.

"Neither Mr. Or Mrs. Turner are Timmy's biological parents."

A.J. looked at her, as if expecting her to be shocked. Well, he had better be prepared to be disappointed. Nothing about Timmy could shock her now. "If they aren't his parents, then who are?"

"I don't know. I could test everyone in Dimmsdale, but…"

"But it would take time," Trixie finished for him. "How much?"

"And it would also take a great deal of money too."

"Don't worry. Whatever expenses you incur, I'll cover."

"Thank you, Trixie."

"Don't thank me yet. I'm going to be working you like an ox."

"That's alright, Trixie. This problem is starting to intrigue me. When something grabs my attention, I follow it to the death."

Trixie nodded mutely, praying that it was the death of his interest that he was talking about, and not his own. She got up to leave.

A.J. clutched her sleeve. "We can start with your DNA."

"But why? There's no way that I can be Timmy's mother."

"I have to test _everyone's_ DNA, Trixie."

She hesitated. A.J. was probably right. But the thought of leaving a sample of her DNA with this boy left her… Let's say, it left her uneasy. Who could say what he could with it once he had his hands on it.

But in the end, her need to ferret out Timmy's secret won out. She reluctantly acceded to A.J.'s wish and began to roll up her sleeve.

A.J. smiled. "That won't be necessary, Trixie." He turned to a jar filled with ear-cleaners and pulled one out. "All I need to do is swab your mouth with this."

"Oh," she blinked in surprise. "Okay."

-OOO-

Vicky smiled to herself as she was led into the stone chamber. The package had planted under their grubby little noses. "What is so funny, little one?" Julius asked her.

"Nothing," she lied.

She began to feel a cold sweat. _They suspect!_

But there was nothing to be done for it now. For now she would have to act naturally and just hope everything goes as planned.

In the room was but a single door. Otherwise it was completely barren of features.

"Is this way?"

"Yes."

Vicky opened the door. Bright light poured from the other side.

"What is this place?" She said, shielding her eyes."

"It is where you must go."

"And just where is that exactly?"

"Where your sister is."

Vicky nodded. "Alright. But does it have to be so bright?"

"Perhaps. But there nothing we can do about it."

Vicky took a deep breath.

And stepped through the door.

And she disappeared.


	14. Finding the AntiVicky

Fairly Oddparents and Jimmy Neutron copyright Viacom

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends copyright Time-Warner.

Chapter 16: Finding the Anti-Vicky

Written: 30 Mar 2006-9 Sep 2006

Posted: 10 Sep 2006

"Tell me again why we are here." Timmy and Veronica were now passing in front of the hedgerow in front of A.J.'s house. Where the hedgerows had come from, he didn't know. But he did have to admit that it added class to the place. Maybe that was Trixie had stopped here.

"I told you already, Timantha. We're following Trixie. To see where she's going."

"You mean A.J.'s house?"

"Right." Veronica nodded. "And what she's doing here."

"Couldn't we have asked her?" He paused. "And why are we whispering?"

Veronica thought for a while. Oh boy, here it comes. "I don't know," she finally said. "But Trixie came here so it must be important."

"Can't argue with that logic," Timmy admitted. He peeked over the hedge and spotted Trixie come out of the house. "Here she comes."

"What's she doing?"

"It looks like she's talking with somebody inside. I wonder if it's A.J."

"What? Let me see." Veronica popped her head beside Timmy's. "What is she _doing_?" She sneered the last word. He wondered about the level of vehemence in her voice. Trixie had just talking with _him_. What did Veronica have against A.J.? "With an unpopular kid of all things!" Oh. That. He should have known. Veronica was such a snob…

When Trixie had reached the sidewalk, Veronica waved her to come over. Trixie looked uncertainly in their direction and hesitated. Veronica waved harder. Trixie sighed and came closer. She seemed to have some new issue weighing her down. Had she learned what she was after?

Veronica stood up and smoothed out her skirt. "Okay, spill it, sister. What did he tell you?"

Trixie studied her hands as she answered. "He's going to need your blood, Veronica."

The blonde stared for a long seconds. "What? Are you out of your mind?"

"No! It was A.J.'s idea. Not mine."

Veronica shot her a skeptical look. "Why on Earth would he want my blood for anyway?"

"He wants everyone's blood. Not just yours." She went on. "He wants to compare it with Timmy's."

"Whatever for?"

"I asked him to."

Timmy stood up. "Really? What do you hope to find?"

"I wish I knew," Trixie sighed. "But whatever secrets are hiding in your past," she vowed, "I _will_ find them." She thought for a second. "Or your present or your future," she added, apparently to cover her bases.

-OOO-

"This isn't going to be pretty." Jimmy didn't want to believe it, but he knew it to be true. Opening a portal between dimensions wasn't the easiest thing in the world to do. Hyperspace simply did not follow the same rules that energy of matter followed, or even ordinary space. And the explosion didn't help matters, either. "You will want to take extreme caution when passing through the portal."

"How are we supposed to do that, Jimmy?" Libby demanded. "I mean, aside from Tootie here, we don't have any experience visiting other universes. At all. And even if we did, is there actually any sign of approaching danger that we spot in time to protect ourselves and, hopefully, each other?"

Jimmy hesitated. Should he tell her that he didn't really know what he was doing? That he, instead of his usual well-thought and meticulous work, was just winging it? Or that, by keeping up Libby's morale up, a lie was best?

In the end he decided that Libby was a tough bird and could take the honest truth. "We'll wing it."

Libby sighed. "Why not? It's what we usually end up doing anyway."

Jimmy winced. There was some truth to that statement, but still! It wasn't something he wanted to be reminded of. "Be as it may be, Libby, it's still the best we can do."

Tootie returned with the hydospanner that Jimmy had asked for. "I have that thing you wanted, Jimmy."

Jimmy looked. "Ah. Good work, Tootie. With your help, we'll get you to your sister in no time."

"That's right, Tootie," Libby nodded. "If anyone could do it, it would be our Jimmy here."

His cheeks felt flushed. "We still have work that needs to be done, Libby. The portal is still not working correctly."

"Oh right." Libby looked at the portal. "Say, Jimmy, just what had caused that explosion anyway?"

Jimmy opened up a panel on the side of portal. "I'm not sure, Libby. Though I believe it was something on the other side." He began to examine the fault-protection circuits of the portal.

At first glance, he saw nothing wrong, but he, not content with initial estimations alone, looked further. He might have known a lot about the equipment that he had built by hand practically, but he still hadn't a full knowledge of the forces that could wreck it. And that was in his universe. Who knew what threats to his inventions lay in all those universes out there. That crazy Crocker guy could have jumped the dimensional gap, looking for those "fairies" of his, causing all sorts of havoc on his way through. No thanks. He wanted none of that.

Fortunately, Jimmy knew how to protect his equipment, and his friends, from such threats. He soon discovered the source for the fault. A wire had shorted out, causing an electrical fire in midst of delicate electronics. Happily, it was something that was easily repaired.

Just one little wire to replace and they would be back to business.

-OOO-

As Tootie watched Jimmy work on his machine, she was losing more and more confidence in him. He just kept pulling parts and wires like he didn't know what any of them were for. Wasn't he was supposed to be some kind of genius? Did he not know his own inventions outside and in?

Tootie kept silent. Despite her doubts, she still had faith that Jimmy would everything all right again. What other choice did she have? From what she had seen, this was the only way for her to get back to her Timmy. So she waited for Jimmy to finish in silence.

What choice did she have after all? None. That's what. So she found a nearby bench, climbed on top of it, and began kicking her heels on the drawers underneath with her feet. How long would Jimmy need? She figured it was going to be awhile, as he seemed to be bumbling his way forward.

Libby slid up beside her. "You miss Timmy, don't you?"

Tootie looked up. "Of course I miss him. My love burns with the white-hot intensity of thousand suns. And I'm afraid that I will never see him again."

Libby wrapped her arm around her shoulders. "And Jimmy is just as determined to be reunited with Cindy. And, let me tell you, girl, when that boy sets his mind on doing something, it gets done."

"Has he done this sort of thing before, Libby?"

"Well… I think he has, um, _had_ a portal so that he could keep I touch with Timmy."

"Funny. I've never seen him use it."

"I'm not surprised. Timmy doesn't seem all the bright." Libby tilted her head. "Just what do you seem in him anyway?"

"Well, he's kind. And gentle. And really brave. And, oh, he's very cute."

Libby smiled. She supposed those things were true. "But he does have a downside too."

"Oh, of course." Tootie looked up dreamily. "But we have to overlook such things in the man we love."

Libby nodded. And glanced toward a plastic statue of Sheen. "Yes, we do."

_So that's how it is, huh?_ Tootie smiled. "Thank you for talking with me, Libby. It has been very informative."

"Anytime."

There was a knock on the door to Jimmy's clubhouse. He turned his Big Screen on and his friend Sheen appeared. "Jimmy, this crazy woman appeared and demands to be shown in. Should I let her in?"

"You'd better. If you knew what was good for you!"

Tootie's ears perked up. She would know that voice anyway.

It was Vicky.

-OOO-

"Trixie is out of her mind!" Veronica was pacing back and forth. Timmy waiting patiently on the couch as she went through her tirade. "She has some gall. How dare she have that egg-headed dork get some of _my_ blood!" Timmy said nothing, even though Veronica hadn't even raised a peep of protest while her blood had been extracted. "I didn't see him draw any of her blood. What makes her so special?"

"Maybe he already has her blood tested," Timmy ventured.

Veronica shot him a glare. "You would say that, wouldn't you?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Timmy asked innocently.

She raised her hands into the air. "We all know that you're completely head-over-heels in love with her. You would never, ever, ever, EVER, say anything bad about her."

_Wha?_ "I don't get it."

"What I mean is," she rolled her eyes, "that you never would admit that she's crazier than an assembly of the U.N."

"That's because she never is," Timmy replied, not really sure how crazy the U.N. got. And, even though he heard its name on the news all the time, he didn't really know what it was.

"Trust me, Timmy. I watch the Political Affairs Channel all the time."

"You do?" he asked, with more than a little skepticalism.

"Of course. All those government types yapping at each other like that is funny."

"Oh. Of course," he said dryly. He knew, on the other hand, that sort thing was boring so he skipped that sort of channel whenever possible. "But I still don't she's crazy."

Veronica stopped pacing and faced Timmy. "How much are you willing to lie on the line for this confidence of yours?"

-OOO-

Cindy walked down the street along side Chester, listening in interest to him as he told her about his theories about Timmy's little crush with Trixie. None of them made any sense.

"But then again, it could be pheromones."

"Pheromones?"

"Yes. They're the little chemicals that a girl gives off to let you she's interested."

"I know what pheromones are, Chester. I was just surprised that you knew."

Chester raised an eyebrow. "Was it because I'm lower-middle class?"

"No. Because you're a boy. And not a geek like Nerd-tron."

"Nerd-tron?"

"Neutron. James Neutron."

Chester tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Now where have I heard that name before?"

"He had visited Dimmsdale so not long ago."

Chester appeared to let that sink in. Before gasping. "Holy halibut. You mean that wasn't Timmy in a disguise to avoid the fact he didn't a science project!"

Cindy smiled. "I'm afraid not."

"So where is this Jimmy now?"

"Back in Retroville I'd imagine."

-OOO-

"Sheen, I can't imagine how you let Vicky into here." Jimmy was pacing back and forth in his room. Nothing seemed to be going right. He still hadn't found the fault in the control box. And now icky Vicky was in his laboratory.

What else could go wrong?

"But, Jimmy, she said she wanted to see her sister. If you had a sister who was missing, wouldn't you want to see her?"

"I don't have a sister, Sheen."

"Okay." Sheen raised his hands in defense. "What about a brother then?"

Jimmy gave him a look that said _You have got to be kidding_. He _did_ have a brother. And he _didn't_ want to see him.

"Where is she?" Vicky screamed at them. She was tied onto one of Jimmy's swivel chairs, which she turned to yell at each of them. "Out with it, twerps. I want to see her now!"

"Not so fast," Jimmy patiently explained. "You have to be sure that you mean her no harm first. You have treated rather shabbily in the past."

"I know that, twerp. I'm trying to make amends with her." She let out a little sob, apparently unintentionally. "Could I have a moment alone with her?"

"No, you can't a moment alone with her, Vicky. We all now that you're a horrible big sister." He pointed an accusatory finger in her direction. "And you're a lousy babysitter. You actually threw out of a moving automobile."

Vicky smirked. "So it was you." She barked a laugh. "I guess you weren't lying after all." She shrugged. "So I was in a hurry."

"Hurry? Hurry! I could have been killed!"

"What I don't like is bratty children who won't SHUT UP!"

Jimmy sighed. He got out a remote and pressed a button. And only the rope that Vicky was tied up in kept her from jumping out the chair. "What the hell was that?"

"I just hit you with twelve volts. Yell again and I'll have to shock you again."

"So that's how it is then. You the babysitter torturing me the kid under care." She laughed. "You do me proud."

"I'm not your babysitter, Vicky. I'm just concerned about Tootie's welfare."

"You can just forget, twerp. Tootie's helplessly in love with that other twerp."

Sheen stood up. "What are you talking about? Jimmy is in love with this other girl. Although he would never admit it," he added musingly.

"I'm not in love with Cindy Vortex!"

"See what I mean."

"Yes," Vicky nodded. "I do."

"We're just friends!"

"Hmm-mmm." Vicky and Sheen exchanged meaningful glances.

"It's nothing like that!"

A knock came from his door. "Come in."

Libby poked her head in the door. "Your mom wants to see you now, Jimmy."

He nodded. "Alright, Libby. Tell her I'm on my way down."

When Libby had left, Jimmy turned to Vicky. "Now why should I believe you?"

She grinned. "I know how to fix that machine of yours."

Jimmy threw a look filled with skepticalism at her. "Why should we believe _that_?" He narrowed his eyes. "And how did you know it was broken?"

Vicky's grin turned wicked. "I'm the one who had broke it in the first place?" She giggled.

"Uh-huh," Jimmy replied slowly. "Stay here," he insisted. "I have to go see my mother about something."

"Fine, twerp. Go anyway you want. I'm not going anywhere."

-OOO-

"No, Bloo, you can't just go jumping into the laundry basket. Not while I'm doing laundry!"

"But, Frankie-"

"Zip it, Bloo. I don't want to hear it." She picked up the basket filled with dirty underwear. _Her_ dirty underwear. "And you're not playing in any laundry hampers. Certainly not while I'm doing laundry."

The little, blue blob crossed his arms over his chest. "Fine. But don't come crying to me when you're bored and want something to do."

"I'll keep that in mind," Frankie growled as Bloo exited the room.

Frankie breathed easier now that Bloo was out of the room. Before realizing what kind of trouble he could get himself into wherever he went. Oh, well. He was bound to run into trouble sooner or later. And she couldn't be to watch him 24/7.

She hummed to herself a little lullaby as she finished loading the washing machine. It was one of her favorites, and it often helping get through boring chores such as this one. She still floors to do and supper was yet to be cooked. But she didn't let that distract her from concerting on taking the laundry out of the dryer and folding it. She was still the number one caretaker of the house after all.

The only one actually.

But Frankie was used to it. Ever since she got the job, she tried performing it to best of her abilities. But the rabbit kept criticizing her efforts. Perhaps he should give it a try. And she often wondered what had happened to the women who had the job before she did. After her grandma had gotten too old to do it. Frankie sure could use that lady's help.

Fortunately she had Wilt here to provide that help. She didn't know what she would do without him. Most of the other residents of Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends helped her too, but Wilt was the most helpful of all.

Unlike Bloo.

The only thing that little blue blob was interested in was having fun. Not exactly the most appropriate feeling when there were chores that needed to be done. She hated to think of what he could have been up to at that very moment. But recent experience complied her to. He had a bad habit of breaking things when she wasn't looking.

But, on the other hand, she knew that she needn't worry. Bloo hardly ever gets into _too_ much trouble. And he usually got caught early enough. And often he asks for her permission before performing his wild schemes.

"Frankie…."

Like now for instance.

"What is it now, Bloo?" she asked him as he entered the room with a strange looking _something_ that had been built around an old toilet paper roll with various do-dads sticking out all over.

"What is this thing you ask?"

Frankie, despite knowing better, asked. "What is this thing?"

"This, my dear Frankie, is an inter-dimensional beacon. It pulls toponauts from whatever trip they're on and sends them here. Where I can meet them."

"Toponauts?"

"People who travel to strange and new topologies. _You_ should get with the times."

"Huh-huh."

Bloo crossed his arms. "You're not very technical. That's all."

"You didn't take these things out of the trash, did you?"

"No, of course not." Bloo held up his hand as if he were taking an oath. "_I_ got all these from the people who were about to throw them away."

"Well, whatever. Just leave us alone so that we can finish with the laundry."

"Fine then. Just don't come crying to me when the to me when the toponauts come and you want to ask them questions about their homeland." He left.

Frankie snorted. Like she would ever come crying to him. Even if there were toponauts who had come to the house.

-OOO-

"Now, Jimmy, I don't think I like this business of you shocking people in your little experiments," his mother was saying. "It just isn't very nice."

"But, Mom," he whined, "it's all part of experiments on the human mind." Judy wished that he wouldn't whine like that. He was ten. He should have realized that wasn't going to work on her anymore. And some of his experiments were starting to worry her. "It's very important."

"Why is that, Jimmy?"

"Science is important, mom. Isn't there something else that I can do?"

"Well I suppose I could oversee your work."

Jimmy sighed. "I'll have to think about it, Mom. Though in a few minutes, I might not have that option anymore."

"And why not?" Judy planted her fists on her hips.

"Because I will hopping dimensions, hoping to Tootie's."

"Then I suppose I will have to come with you."

"What? Why?"

Judy smiled wistfully. "I have always wanted to visit another dimension."

-OOO-

Vicky had developed a pressing need to pee. And no amount of squirming in her seat seem to relieve any of the discomfort. That bratty twerp left her here to wet her jeans. Well! She was going to show him. But the real trick was going to lower her pants so they wouldn't get in the way. But it would be _so_ worth it. Vicky Spain wasn't about to be on who would wet her own pants.

Fortunately it seemed that Jimmy wasn't all that proficient at tying knots. So she carefully scooted herself up the back of the chair and reached for her zipper. And found that she didn't have quite the reach. So she did the next best thing.

She inserted her fingers into the waistband of her panties and began slipping her jeans off. It was much easier than she had thought it would be. Soon she had her pants clear. But, unfortunately, that was when Jimmy twerp chose to open the door to his room. He didn't look away. He did have the decency to look ashamed. "I'm so sorry, Vicky, I should have put in the bathroom so that you could have relieved yourself."

"That's right, twerp. You should have." At least the little dork was looking at her face, and not anywhere else on her. It was embarrassing enough as it was. There was no need for him to be ogling at her.

He drew closer to her, and began untying her bonds. "You should know, Vicky, I wouldn't normally do this. But you seemed so awfully determined to empty your bladder to actually pull down your pants and…. Well anyway, we have to get to the bathroom." Finally was finished untying her bonds.

She rubbed her wrists before she remembered that her jeans were partway down. She blushed before pulling them back up, which unfortunately included unbuttoning and unzipping them first. The brat was keeping his attention on her face the whole time. "Would you excuse me for a moment?"

"Oh, of course." But just as she was heading for the bathroom, he added, "And I'm going to need your shoes."

"Excuse me?"

"You aren't going anywhere."

"Make me." Vicky jutted her chin up and made her way to the bathroom. Full bladder or not, there was no way that she was rushing in front of this twerp.

"If you insist." Suddenly everything in the room, including the room itself, loomed twenty stories over her. Vicky stumbled and fell. And just as suddenly everything was back to normal.

"What the hell was that!" Her bladder was momentary forgotten.

"That, my dear Vicky, was my shrink ray." He was holding some kind of remote-looking device in his hands.

"Shrink ray?" Vicky sneered at him.

"Yes. Shrink ray. It shrinks things. Including people."

"Fine." She kicked off her shoes. "But just so that you know, I don't need my shoes to run across bare ground."

She shut the door behind her. And quickly finished her business.

But when she tried to open the door to get back out, she found that something was blocking it. She tried harder. Still no luck. She began pounding on the door. "Let me out of here now, you twerp! Or you'll be sorry!"

"How do I fix my invention?"

"What!"

"How do I fix my invention?" Jimmy repeated, more forcefully this time.

"Why should I tell you?"

"Because if you don't I won't let you out." _Let's just see about that, shall we?_ "And besides wasn't that what you're here for?"

"Not really, twerp. I'm here to find my baby sister."

"Why should we trust you?"

Vicky grinned. "Let's make a deal."

-OOO-

Jimmy opened the panel again and immediately found the fault that Vicky had told him about. Just how had she known that it would be there? She shouldn't know anything about any of his inventions. He supposed that she was just a massager, but he was more than a little concerned about who was sending the message. He, or she, or it, might have the most honorable intentions in mind.

He hoped that he hadn't made a mistake when he offered that deal Vicky had wanted. She just didn't seem like the most stable of personalities to him. No wonder Timmy wasn't too fond of her. And she had drove a pretty hard bargain on him, despite being locked in his bathroom. He quickly replaced the wire and closed the hatch. He had worried that Vicky's tip was a trick for a moment, he knew his systems better than his mother's voice. He would know better. "That should do the trick."

"Are you sure that it isn't a trick, Jimmy?"

"Yes, Tootie." He stood up. "I know my inventions inside-and-out. I would know if someone's tampered with it. And, more importantly, to recognize that fix is valid."

"Tampered with it?" Sheen exclaimed from Jimmy's chair. "You mean there's a madman running around sabotaging your inventions." He threw his hands in the air. "We're doomed!"

"No, Sheen. I don't think it had been sabotaged. But I do wonder how it broke in the first place."

"But it works now, doesn't it?" Tootie asked.

Jimmy nodded.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Sheen spun around on Jimmy's chair. "Spin her up and let's go."

Jimmy was aghast. How did the boy get through life? "We can't just 'spin her up,' Sheen. It has to be tested first."

"Aw, man. You always say that."

Tootie didn't seem to care about Jimmy's tests. Heedless of anything they might have to say, she drew closer the power switch. "Tootie, we have run tests on the machine first. To see if it actually runs."

Tootie faced him. And smiled. "I trust my sister on this."

Before Timmy could even any way to respond, she threw the switch. And giant ring came to life. Much to Jimmy's relief, the portal formed. For some reason it had opened up in someone's kitchen.

Tootie looked back. "You know it's the right thing." With that said, she stepped into the portal.

"In for a penny, in for a pound," Libby said.

Sheen sighed. "Women. It's always about money with them."

Carl shook his head most vehemently. "Oh no. I'm not going through that machine. If Jimmy says that one of his machines needs testing than it probably does."

"I'm afraid that we don't much of a choice, Carl," Jimmy said, staring off into the strange kitchen on the other side of the portal.

-OOO-

What was the secret of Timmy's secret?

Trixie had thought that sunbathing in the solarium would take her mind off the problem for a while, but it didn't. Her mind kept dragging her to it again and again. She knew that it was important, but it couldn't be more important than social standing, or even just life-and-death. Or could it? Was he her soul mate?

She shook her head vigorously. No, that couldn't be it. It had to something more… plausible. There was just no way that Timmy was her soul mate. Though it was fun pretending to be his girlfriend.

She sat straight up.

Who was her soul mate?

Her phone rang. It was a retro-designed phone, which produced an actual ringing sound to tell you that someone is calling you. She grumbled. The only people who had this number were her dad, who was home and needn't call her, and Veronica, whom she had told that she didn't want to be bothered at this hour. And she was hardly dressed to receive any calls. The bikini she was wearing was way skimpier than she wore at the pool.

She got the beach towel by her chair and wrapped it around herself. This had better be important. "Hello?"

"Trixie?" It was A.J.

"Yes. You have me."

"I have some bad news. My lab and all my samples have been destroyed."

-OOO-

Frankie stepped out of the dining room and into the foyer. The kitchen was a disaster area, and she had a good idea who had been behind the mess. She immediately noticed that there were more people there than when she was last there, only a few minutes before.

"What the Sam Hill is going on here?" Frankie demanded. She knew better than to ask. Bloo was the probably the one behind the mess in the kitchen. He usually was. He looked as guilty as a bully in a computer lab. She had asked anyway. It was what she usually did, and she didn't feel like changing her habits just then. She paused. And blinked. "And who are these people?"

The _these people_ that she was referring were a big-headed boy with swirly hairdo, a dark-skinned girl with a Cleopatra hairdo, a round kid who looked like he was wearing invisible suspenders, a boy who looked like the _Dummies_ guy, and a girl who was wearing a Catholic school dress and pigtails. She was looking at Frankie funny. "These," Bloo said with joy, "are my new friends."

"Where did they come from?"

"I can answer that." The boy with the swirly hair raised his index finger into the air.

Frankie turned to him. "Okay."

"We come from another universe, and we," he winced, "kinda dropped our portal into your bedroom. Sorry."

"Riiight." The imagination in the kids these days. "Then what brought you here?"

The boy explained, but Frankie got the feeling that he didn't think that she didn't believe him. That it was true didn't stop it from stinging. "Actually we're searching for Tootie's sister," The pigtailed girl sobbed, "whom you look like, by the way. But the universe that she's in is blocked off from us. We're hunting an universe, any universe, that would allow us to go around the barrier."

"But just how in the world could an entire universe get cut off?" While Frankie believed in other universes, she really didn't think anyone could possibly cross between them. If people could that, than why hadn't she met any!

"Hey, if I knew that, I could remove the barrier, instead of all this running around looking for a back door!"

"O-kay. So what happened with the kitchen?" And she realized something. "And don't you kids have names?"

"Oh right. My name is Jimmy." And he introduced his friends. The Cleopatra-haired was Libby. The round kid Carl. The _Dummies_ boy Sheen. And the little girl Tootie. Each time a friend was introduced, Frankie nodded once. When everyone had been introduced, she said, "Okay. That still leaves the kitchen. What happened in there?"

Before anyone could answer, the front door opened and Mac walked into the room. He blinked in surprise when he saw all the unexpected guests. "Are you all here to adopt an imaginary friends?"

"What!" Tootie screeched. "Everyone knows that there's no such thing as imaginary friends."

Bloo's jaw dropped. "No such thing as imaginary friends! What do you think I am, sister? A French poodle?"

"Uhm…"

Jimmy wrapped his arm under Tootie. "Remember, Tootie. Different universe, different rules."

Tootie nodded. "Thank you, Jimmy. I will keep that in mind."

Frankie rolled her eyes. More _we're from another universe, Frankie_ junk. Well, some kids' imaginations were so vivid that even they believed them sometimes. "Okay. Have fun and don't break the furniture." She headed for Mr. Herriman's office. "Goodness knows I'll have to clean it," she added under her breath.

She closed the door behind herself. "Mr. H, there are five strange children in the house."

Mr. Herriman looked up from his paperwork. "Surely they are here to pick up an imaginary friend."

Frankie shook her head. "I don't think so."

"What makes you say that?"

Frankie sat in a chair in front of Mr. Herriman's desk and told him.

"Goodness, that's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard of!"

"I thought so too."

"Still they just might be interested in adopted."

"I suppose." It was that moment that she remembered what Bloo had had. She stood up. "No, it couldn't be!" She ran out of the chair and toward the foyer.

"Miss Frances! There is no running in this house!"

But Frankie barely heard him.

_There was no way that Bloo can pull people away from other universes._

-OOO-

I just had to do it :). Vicky and Frankie are so much alike!


	15. Leaving Foster's

I tried so hard to make this chapter not-so-long. But that didn't happen. Oh well. : (

Jimmy Neutron and Fairly Oddparents copyright Viacom

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends copyright Time-Warner

Chapter 15: Leaving Foster's

Written 10 Sep 2006-31 Dec 2006

Posted: 1 Jan 2007

Jimmy naturally asked the question that was foremost on his mind. So he turned toward the boy that was most recently introduced to him as Mac. "How long was she here?"

Mac looked uncertain. "Frankie?" He looked in direction of Mr. Herriman's office. "All her life, I suppose. Actually, I haven't been here all that long."

"What do you do around here, Mac?" Libby asked. "I understand what Frankie does and what Mr. Herriman does. But not what you do."

Mac wrapped his arm around Bloo. "I just come here everyday to visit my best friend here."

"Oh." Libby sounded disappointed. She should have expected that answer. What else could have Mac been but someone who came to visit his best friend?

The real question was what this Bloo creature really was. Jimmy knew perfectly well that imaginary friends were just that. Imaginary. At least he thought he did. Some of creatures passing through the foyer didn't exactly look human. But there had to some explanation for them that didn't involve the positing the existence of imaginary friends. Because they simply did not exist.

So then what was Bloo?

"Come on you guys," Mac said. "I have to give the grand tour of the house. You'll love it!"

They all consented to go on that tour. It had to be more fun than just sitting around waiting for Vicky to appear. And then he realized that someone wasn't with them anymore. "Where did Tootie go?"

"She's still here…" Libby started to before she looked around. "That's funny. She was right here."

Mac looked nervous. "We have to search the whole house! Who knows what kind of trouble she can get herself here?"

They separated and went in separate directions to find Tootie.

-OOO-

When Frankie entered the foyer, all the children and imaginary friends were gone. The room was completely empty.

"Now where did they go off to?"

She started to go look for them, but she felt a tug on the back of her skirt. When she looked back, Tootie asked, "Can you be my big sister?"

"Excuse me?"

"You're much better big sister than she ever was." She looked down at the floor. "Not that it would very had or anything."

"Uhm… thanks, I guess." The others must be looking for her "But don't you want to be with your friends?"

"They're not really my friends," Tootie said in a soft voice and with a lowered head.

Frankie knelt down in front of Tootie and placed her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Give them a chance, Tootie. I'm sure that they would make wonderful friends once you get to know them."

Tootie looked back up with hope in her eyes. "You really think so?"

"Oh absolutely." She stood back up and with Tootie's hand in hers, they went up the stairs to the second story.

As they went up, Tootie asked, "Do you have any friends?"

Frankie laughed. "I have lots of friends. Why?"

"Can I meet them?"

Frankie smiled. "I think that can be arranged."

They stepped onto the second floor.

And Eduardo, a big, purple, scary-looking imaginary friend with horns, came running in her direction, crying. "What's wrong, Eduardo?"

"Azul, he stole my Paco. You see, I was giving him a bath, and Azul, he comes in and he…. Oh hi, Azul, I was just talking about you."

Bloo appeared, looking bored. "Say, Frankie, I'm hungry. Could you make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?"

"Did you see which Mac went with the new kids?"

Bloo pointed down the stairs. "He took him to the arcade."

"Of course." Frankie sighed to herself. "Thanks, Bloo."

As she went back down the stairs, Bloo called out to her, "Now can I have that sandwich?"

"Later, Bloo." She often wondered why a sweet, little boy like Mac could have created a selfish, little brat like Bloo. Then she remembered that, having not imagined one ever, she simply didn't what was involved in that.

When she reached the arcade, Mac was leading his tour group out into hall. "Hi, Frankie," he said when he saw her. "I was just showing them the arcade."

"Yes, Bloo told me."

"Yes, I told her."

Frankie jumped. "Bloo! What are you doing here?"

"You still haven't made me a peanut butter and jelly san-dwich."

Sighing, Mac rolled his eyes. "Come on, Bloo. I'll make you that sandwich."

Bloo put his into a thanking position. "Thank you, Mac. I will always remember this."

"Yeah, right," he muttered. He turned to the other kids. "I guess the next stop is the kitchen."

Here Frankie spotted an opportunity. "No, that's all right, Mac. I can take the tour from here."

"Are you sure, Frankie?"

"Quite sure."

"Well, okay. If you say so."

As Mac led Bloo away to the kitchen, Frankie asked, "Okay, now what has Mac shown you already."

Mac had shown them the dining room, the laundry room, the library, and finally the arcade. "But I can do the rest if you're too busy, Frankie."

"No, nonsense. You've already done the hard part." She began scooting him toward the kitchen. "You go make the best peanut butter and jelly sandwich that Bloo has ever had. Which shouldn't be too hard," she added under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing."

When Mac was gone, Frankie turned to them and said, "Let's take that tour!"

-OOO-

A chill went down Trixie's spine upon hearing A.J.'s words. She hadn't thought it was possible for A.J.'s lab to be burned down. Now how was she going to discover Timmy's secret? "Is… is there anything you can do?" It was just as well that she was talking with A.J. on the phone, as he couldn't see the towel fall off her when she stood up too quickly.

"I can get more equipment out of storage. But the samples…."

"What bout the samples?" There was a chill in Trixie's voice.

"I will have to redo them."

"About how many of them are we talking about?"

"Oh, about fifty."

Dang! The boy worked fast. "How quickly can you set up the stuff again?"

"About two hours. If we hurry."

"Then we'll hurry, A.J. This is type-one priority. It must be completed by the end of the week." She didn't know how she knew it. She just did.

"Why the end of the week?"

"Just do it!"

"All right. All right. Just don't shout."

"All right. I'll be by shortly to give a sample of blood."

They said good-bye, and Trixie ended the call. The thing was that she didn't know why it had to be done by the end of the week. So what was so important about Saturday?

Well, she would find out one way or another. That much, at least, was certain.

"Trixie!" her father's voice called up to her. "There's somebody at the door who wants to see you."

Trixie sighed to herself. Her father knew perfectly well that she couldn't exactly call back in that manner. Instead she punched in the number for the front foyer phone. When she had gotten him on the other end, she said, "Who is it, daddy?"

"It's Veronica, dear. And a girl named Cindy Vortex."

Cindy, huh? Wonder want they want. This could prove interesting. "Oh right, daddy, I'm coming down."

But first to get dressed.

Instead of changing her bikini into some underwear, she simply draped a black skirt and a pink blouse over it. Best friends merit special consideration.

She met her guests in the living room, a relatively informal space where Trixie and her father met with their friends. It was surrounded by bookcases filled with books and other odds and ends. In the center was a pair of couches, facing each other, with a coffee table in between. An easy chair was at each end. All the furniture had a mahogany finish, with white upholstery.

Neither Veronica nor Cindy looked up when Trixie entered the room. "You don't think he would notice, do you?" Veronica was saying.

"Oh, not at all."

Trixie cleared her throat.

They got their attention. They turned from their conversation about their mystery boy and to her. (Who were talking about?) They started to stand. It was Cindy who stood first.

"You don't have to get up." She sat on the couch across from them. "Veronica, you know you don't need to stand when I enter the room. You're my best friend."

Her face reddened and she looked away.

Trixie folded her hands on her lap and leaned forward. "So what brings you two by?"

"It's about Timmy," Cindy started. "He… we love him, right?"

"Not in that way," Trixie said. She hoped that the glance that the other two girls exchanged didn't signify anything. But she knew better. The exchanges of glances would lead to talk and, eventually, into confrontation with her about her feelings toward Timmy Turner.

So what were her feelings about him?

She nodded Cindy to continue.

"So what I'm thinking is that we lay our cards on the table and find out who Timmy really likes."

"It's me."

Cindy appeared to be taken back. "You seem to be pretty sure about that."

"I have been watching him," Trixie said carefully.

Veronica tilted her head. "When were you doing this? I have been with you for all this time, and I never seen you watch him."

Trixie was hurt. Obviously Veronica, her very best friend, hadn't been paying all that much attention to her. "Believe me. I've been keeping a close eye on him."

"Why?"

"Never mind that," Trixie said. Then she returned the conservation to its original topic. "I would be glad to hear of your plans to win Timmy's love. He's cute and all. But I don't think that this little crush of his is going to lead anywhere." A thought occurred to her. "Where is the girl most interesting in him? What's her name?"

"Tootie," Veronica supplied.

"Yes, Tootie. Where is she?"

"Not here," Cindy said.

"O-okay. Then where is she then?"

"She's somewhere where she can't be reached. Okay?"

Trixie narrowed her eyes. "You know where she is, don't you?"

Cindy nodded.

"Then set up him with her. I'm sure that she would appreciate it. Care for some tea?" Though it was a bite to offer. She should have done that back when she had first greeted them. But she hadn't. So why had she forgot.

"Yes, thank you." Veronica tried to sound polite, but she didn't do a very good job of it.

"None for me, thanks," Cindy said. "But there is a slight problem…."

Trixie raised a finger and rang the little bell on the coffee table. A moment later, Maid appeared with a tray in her hands. Trixie had asked for the maid's name more than once, but for some reason, she could never what it was. That was the only reason she kept thinking of her as "Maid."

There was no other reason.

No reason at all.

Maid placed the tray and straightened. "Will they be anything else, Miss?"

Trixie shook her head, and Maid bowed and left.

She returned to her two guests. "Now, Cindy, you mentioned a problem?"

"Tootie is… Tootie isn't someplace that it is… that isn't so easily accessible."

"And where would that be, hmm?"

Veronica bit her lip. She only did that when she had a secret that she didn't want to tell Trixie. And that didn't happen very often. Whenever it did happen, it turned out to be very important. "You're keeping a secret again. Come on, Veronica. Out with it."

Veronica shook her head. "It is really my secret to share." She stole a glance in Cindy's direction.

"Then who's secret is it?" Trixie had a feeling that it was Cindy's secret, but she wasn't entirely too sure about that. "I'll just go ask _her_ about it."

"I don't know if it's my secret to five or not," Cindy began. "It's about Timmy."

Trixie nodded. "Go on."

And Cindy told her.

-OOO-

The nerve of that little twerp! He had actually locked her in his room after they had reached a deal. True, it had said nothing about being locked in any rooms until his mother got her out _after_ him and his little friends took their trip to wherever they were going. But that wasn't the point.

And they took her sister with them! The little bastards! It was all the doing of that Buffalo-headed twerp. Just wait she got her fingers around his little neck….

The door opened. It was the twerp's mom. "My goodness. What are you doing tied to that chair?" She went over to Vicky and began to untie her.

"It was your son, Mrs. Neutron. He tied me up in his chair before taking my sister on some wild goose chase of his to who knows where."

"Oh my." Vicky's hands were free now and she loosened them up. "Are you really icky like he says you are."

"God! That not that lame song again."

"That is not how we speak around this house, young lady."

Vicky lowered her head apologetically. "Sorry, ma'am. It won't happen again."

Jeez! Some people were so touchy.

Mrs. Neutron finished with the knot. "What song would that be, dear?"

"It's nothing. Really." _Yeah right._ It was far from nothing.

Now that she was free, she went to exploring the house. She knew that that Jimmy-twerp had a lab around there somewhere. There, Vicky knew, lay her sister.

And hopefully a way for both of them to get back home. After all, Jimmy _had_ claimed that he was a genius or something.

-OOO-

Frankie went out to the backyard with a basket laden with laundry to hang them out to dry. She froze when she saw what was strewn about out there. It looked like a spaceship had exploded and rained its debris all over the backyard. And she just cleared it yesterday! She carefully placed the laundry by the door and began marching out toward Jimmy, who she could see was welding something.

"I'm not sure that I like you setting up this equipment in the backyard!" she yelled.

Jimmy looked up from his welding and watched her approach. "Would you prefer that I do it in the front?"

Frankie hesitated. On the one hand, she didn't want to stifle his creative impulses. But on the other, she didn't create another Goo. And he was creating a giant mess in the backyard! If Mr. Herriman would ever to find it all here…. "Why are you setting up all this equipment at all?"

Jimmy looked up from his computer. "I need it to reach the next universe."

She looked uneasily at a generator that she so had happened to standing beside. She knew that it was a transformer right away. She had plenty of them during her duties as a caretaker. "Are you absolutely sure that you know what you are doing?"

"Of course." He connected two cables. "I built most of this stuff myself."

Frankie raised an eyebrow. "Oh, Really?" She now knew the perfect way to test this so-called "genius" of his. "If you're so smart, why don't build a time machine from scratch!" Ha. Let's see him do that.

He stared at her for a second. "Why would that for?" _Ha! I knew it_, she thought smugly. "I had already have. Four times already."

She arched her brow. "Oh really? Where is one of these 'time' machines of yours?" She mimed the quotation marks around _time machines_.

"Come to my lab and I'll show you."

Frankie agreed to it. _This should be good for a few laughs._ Please it gave her a break from all those chores that Mr. Herriman had assigned her. "So how many blocks away do you live?"

"A paper thickness away."

"What?" When you ask a simple question, you usually don't expect to receive a riddle for an answer.

"I told you, Frankie. We're from another universe. Come with into the kitchen, and I'll show things that will blow your mind."

"Uh-huh."

"You'll see."

"All right. But I think I'll have to check with Mr. Herriman first."

"Okay," Jimmy said. "But this isn't going to take long."

Frankie followed him into the kitchen, where he opened up the impossible.

-OOO-

Vicky found herself standing in front of the clubhouse in the backyard. The only indication that there was some of lab in there was the fancy-looking keypad by the door. But the lab that Vicky had seen was far too big to fit inside. She supposed that it was the only entrance. But how to get it open?

There had to be like a gazillion combinations to the stupid thing. So how was she supposed to get the one that worked in sort of reasonable time? And there was the matter of the big, red eye. Just what was it watching for anyway? Trying to read people's faces or something?

It would take some kind genius to get this door to open.

"Computer, tell me how to get in there! NOW!" Fortunately for her, unlike that Jimmy kid, _she_ was some kind of genius. _She_ was going to get the stupid computer to cooperate with her.

Of course there was a computer. These hi-tech labs always had one. So now where was it…?

-OOO-

She had to admit it. Jimmy had access to some incredible technology. His father must have been a great inventor.

But as they made their way through the lab, she scratched her head. "Just what are you trying to do with all this stuff anyway?"

"I told you, Frankie. Science."

Frankie looked around with amusement. So his dad let him pretend to be great scientist like he was. Jimmy probably wants to grow up to be just like him. Frankie wished she knew who _her_ father was.

"Say, Jimmy…"

"Hmm-hm."

"Where is your father?"

"Probably with his duck collection. Why?"

"Do you have permission to come into your father's laboratory whenever you feel like it?"

Jimmy looked back with an arched brow. "Why wouldn't I? It's my lab."

Frankie snorted. "A kid with his own lab? Please!"

"It's perfectly true. But I can see that there's nothing I can say, or do, that will convince you."

Frankie shook her head. "Nope. Can't think of a thing."

Jimmy sighed. "I was afraid of that you would say that. But on the other hand…."

"Yes?"

"There might be a way for me to convince you that this is my lab."

"Huh. I would love to see that."

"I can show one of those time machines I had told you about earlier."

Frankie nodded. "Okay. Show me the way."

"All right."

Jimmy led Frankie into the heart of his lab. Where he kept his latest inventions. Such as the one he was going to show her.

"How often do you come down here, Jimmy?"

"I work down here all the time."

"But why-"

He sighed and stopped. "Look. We've been through this before. This lab is mine. Not my father's. Not my mother's. But mine."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Well, there are lots of things that are hard to believe. That's why my skepticism is so open-minded."

Frankie blinked at that. "Wha?"

"Don't believe a word that kid tells you." The screechy voice had seemed to come out of nowhere. "Believe me. I have some experience in this area."

"Is that so, Vicky?"

Frankie stared in naked astonishment at the girl who just so happened to look like her. "What are you?"

"I'm a very angry-" Vicky started before she really saw Frankie for the very first time ever. "Never mind that. What the heck are _you_?"

Before Jimmy had a more pressing issue on his mind. "How did you get in here? My security is supposed to be foolproof."

"Fortunately for me, I'm no fool." She smirked. "And I see that you had already made a poor copy of me! Holographic technology has sure gone a long ways in recent years. I don't know whether I should be flattered, or I should beat your brains out."

Frankie planted her hands on her hips. "I hardly think that's necessary, young lady. And I'm not a blooming HOLOGRAM!"

"Oh really?" Vicky sneered. "If you weren't a hologram, could I do this?" She brought hand up in order punch Frankie in the nose, but her intended victim swatted her hand away. "Ow."

"Apparently she isn't a hologram after all, eh?"

"Shut up you." She turned back to Frankie. "Who are you, and what are you doing here? And, more importantly, why do you look like me!?"

"_Me_? _You're_ the one who looks like _me_."

"No, I don't. _You_ look like _me_."

"I so do not."

"Ladies, ladies," Jimmy began, but before he could get out any more, Frankie knocked Vicky out cold. "Why did that for!?"

"She was going to attack, Jimmy. I could see it in her eyes." Frankie hoped that Jimmy would buy that. It sounded absolutely lame to her. Even though it was probably true. Frankie waited tensely for Jimmy's answer.

Would he believe her or not?

"Okay, Frankie." He nodded. "But what were you planning to do about Vicky's unconscious body?"

Frankie shrugged. "She will wake up soon enough."

"True enough."

Jimmy led Frankie through his lab. He eventually led her to a phone booth. "Is this what you wanted to show me? A phone booth?"

"Actually, Frankie, it's my time booth."

"Your what?"

"My time booth," Jimmy repeated. And began to explain its inner workings, and, while the explanation went over her head,

-OOO-

"Where did you go off to, Jimmy?" Libby asked when he had returned to the bedroom they were staying in from wherever that he had went off to. "You had disappeared on us. We were getting pretty worried you know." Tootie had to agree. None of them had known where he had gone off to. He could have went anywhere for all they knew.

"I'm sorry, Libby. But there was something that I had to show Frankie first."

"Oh really? What was that? One of your latest goofy inventions that usually don't work?"

"Actually it was one of my older inventions. And you don't have to be so snub about me all the time. And I can really point out that you didn't have to come along with us."

"I'm sorry, Jimmy." Libby closed her eyes. "But it's so much fun to do!" When Jimmy gave her a look, she lowered her head. "Okay, Jimmy, I'll do my best to keep it on hold until we get back home."

"Just what did you have to show Frankie, Jimmy?" Tootie asked. She sat down on the bed, waiting for Jimmy's reply.

"Oh, just one of my time machines," Jimmy replied.

"Oh."

"Say, where did Carl and Sheen go?"

Libby answered. "They went off looking for you."

"Ah." He rubbed his chin. "When do you suppose that they will be back?"

Libby shrugged. "I don't know. It could be at any time now."

"That mean the Frankie is back?" Tootie asked.

Jimmy nodded.

"Oh. I'll just go if there's anything she needs help with then."

-OOO-

Tootie found her sister at the Quick Trip. Tootie had volunteered to help her with the groceries, and Frankie stopped along the way to get some gas. While Frankie went inside to pre-pay for the gas, Tootie stared at her sister a while before deciding to go to her. "Vicky, what are you doing here?"

Vicky looked very haunted. "Looking for you, Tootie." She smiled. "I even forgave Frankie for what she did to me."

"What did she do to you?" And what did that have to do with her? Tootie wondered.

"Never mind that, Tootie. The important thing is that I have found you."

"Why are you here?" Tootie accused.

"I have come here to bring you back home, Tootie."

Tootie huffed. "No, you haven't. You have come to get me more trapped than I already was. All you ever want to do is make my life any even more horrible than it already was."

"That's not true anymore. Now all I want to do is bring you back home with me."

"Yeah right." Tootie crossed her arms and looked away.

"But all I want to do return you home, so that you and me and mom and dad can be a family again. Is that so much to ask for!?"

"Yes. Yes it is."

"But mom and dad surely miss us."

"I don't care. I hate you," she whispered. Inside, she wondered if she had really meant it. This was her sister after all. Was it right to hate your own sister?

It is, she finally decided, when that sister is Vicky.

"You really do, don't you?" Vicky knelt down before Tootie. "It's all right if you do. I've been a terrible big sister." She closed her eyes and tears began to flow. "And a horrible human being to boot."

Tootie looked away. She couldn't argue with her there. She wanted to call her a liar, but she looked so sincere….

And it was certainly true. Vicky hadn't been a very good sister to her at all.

But, then again, whenever she looked sincere like that, she was up to something. "No. You just want to hurt me and make my life even more miserable."

Vicky said nothing.

"Ha! I knew it. You hate me, so I wouldn't do the same to you?"

Vicky continued to say nothing. She just sat there staring at Tootie.

"Say something!" Furiously, Tootie slapped her. Vicky meekly accepted the blow. Tootie struck again. And again. And again. Still Vicky did nothing. And still Tootie continued striking. But each slap was weaker than the one before. Until, finally, the slaps were mere pats on the cheek. "Say something," she added weakly.

Tears came down Tootie's cheeks. "Dammit, Vicky, why won't you fight back?"

"But you might get hurt, Tootie."

Disgusted, Tootie looked away. Though whether she was disgusted with herself or with Vicky remained an open question. Not that it mattered either way.

Tootie began to walk away. She didn't think that she could stomach another minute of this. It was quite pathetic. And here she had thought her sister was made of sterner stuff than that! Where was the big, tough teenaged baby sitter who had been mistreating her for all those years?

Where was _her_? Not this pathetic wreck of a teenager.

"Wait!"

Tootie stopped and looked back.

There was a faint smile on Vicky's lips. "You're probably wondering how I got here."

Tootie shook her head. "No. Not really." Without saying another word, she just walked away. Back to Frankie.

Leaving Vicky behind.

Alone.

-OOO-

Vicky watched Tootie walk away.

She didn't go after her. She knew that it wouldn't have done her any good.

So she just stood there. Waiting.

Though she didn't know what she was waiting for.

But she would know it when she saw it.

"That your sister that had left you before?" Vicky's mood soured even more. Since when was this any of the clerk's business? But, declining to say anything back, she merely nodded. "If it's up to me, I would have you go after her."

"Well, it's not up to you."

"True." He watched a semi go by on the highway. "Still I had a lot of experience in these matters. I could you give-"

"I don't want to hear them! I just want to be left alone!"

"Okay, little lady. It's your call." He went back inside.

Vicky sat on the curb and brought her knees to her chest..

There just didn't to be anything better for her to do in the immediate future, so she just waited. Although she had no idea what she was waiting for. "She's probably in league with that Frankie harridan," she muttered. "And why not? That Jimmy brat already is." She laid her cheek against her knees. "But now how am I going to find them? It's not like I can ask the gas station clerk where Frankie Foster lives."

She looked through the glass doors. Maybe she should ask him. It couldn't hurt. Even though she wouldn't anywhere, what else did she have to do? She got up and went inside. "Do you know where Frankie Foster lives?"

The clerk looked up from his counter and smiled. "Do you mean the girl who had just left?"

Vicky nodded.

"She works at Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. I could you directions to there if you want."

"Imaginary friends?" she scoffed.

"You don't believe in imaginary friends, do you?"

"Why? It's not like they're real or anything."

"Believe me. They're quite real."

"Never mind all that. Just give me the blasted directions!" Vicky hoped this Foster's place wasn't too far. Or she could catch a bus there. She no longer had access to a car. As the clerk gave the directions, she wrote them on a slip of paper she had found in her pocket. For some reason, there seemed to a lot of them in that pocket. A lot more than there should have been!

-OOO-

Trixie whistled. "That's some secret all right." It seemed a tad bit unbelievable to think that Timmy Turner had fairy godparents. Though it would explain a lot about him…. "Do you have any proof of this?"

"Naturally." Cindy smiled confidently. "I have Timmy himself waiting outside. You can vouch for it if you asked."

"He would probably deny the whole thing."

"Yes," Cindy said, leaning forward, "but the way that he denies would be quite informative."

Trixie nodded, understanding. "Okay. Let him in then." Ever since her dad had read her _Cinderella_ when she was a little girl, Trixie had wanted a fairly godmother of her own. That way she could wish a new mommy for herself, just like everyone else had.

Cindy had gotten up and left, leaving Trixie alone with Veronica. "Were you thinking of the same secret, Veronica?"

She shook her head.

"I thought not."

-OOO-

Vicky looked up from her directions and fumed. She simply couldn't believe the address was what it was. It couldn't be 1123 Wilson Way. It just couldn't. There was just no possible way. That was same exact street address as Joshua's place. It even looked exactly the same. There had to have been a mistake somewhere. "I guess I should have pressed that gas station attendant harder for more details," she said to herself. Still the other place didn't have a sign over the gate. Let alone one that said, _Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends_. Like the convenience store clerk had said. She sighed. She guessed she had no choice at this point. And she second press this universe's version of Julius for a ride back home after she found Tootie again.

She walked through the open gate. Inside, she suddenly froze. On the front lawn were the strangest creatures that she had ever seen. They didn't seem to be real. She realized two things at this point. First was that these must have been the imaginary friends that everyone was talking about. She guessed that she shouldn't have been surprised that they were real.

Everything else in this crazy world was.

And secondly, this wasn't where this universe's Julius lived. Julius would never let this sort of thing to happen on his property. So if he wasn't here, then where was he?

That question would have to wait to be answered. Wherever he might have possibly been, Tootie was in this house before her and Vicky had to find her. She was all that she had left in the world. Losing Tootie was no longer even something to consider. Not at this point.

She went up to the front door and knocked.

She didn't have to wait for very long before her knock was answered by Frankie. It her a moment or two to recognize Vicky. But when she did…. "You! What are you doing _here_? Weren't you supposed to back in Jimmy's lab?"

"Look, sister," Vicky said, not bothering to answer the question, and a terrible thought occurred to her. What if Frankie _was_ long lost twin sister of hers? "I know that you're holding my sister in there. I want to see her. Now!"

Frankie blinked. "Your sister?" Then the light of understanding dawned in her eyes. "So you must be the terrible, horrible, no-good sister of hers. I must say, you look nothing like her."

"She takes after our mother," Vicky said testily. "Now, are you going show me to her or not? And you had better say yes."

Frankie just leaned against the doorframe and raised her eyebrow. "And just why had I better?"

Hmm, it looked she had better change tactics. This Frankie woman didn't look like she gave easily to intimidation. So Vicky lowered her head the pitch of her voice. "She's sister, Frankie. And I'm afraid of losing her again. I love her." That much was at least true. Unlike the rest of what Vicky was about to say. "I…. Tell her that I have a puppy for her. I had gotten in a local animal shelter. It's still there, getting all its shots."

"Uh-huh." Vicky got the feeling that Frankie didn't believe her. "First of all puppies get their shots when they come into the shelter, not when they get adopted."

"Do'oh."

"I'll tell you what. Since you're obviously so eager to reach your sister…"

Vicky nodded eunthicatsically.

"…I'll go tell Tootie that you're here, and we'll see if she wants to see or not."

"Fair enough."

When Frankie had closed the door and disappeared, Vicky sat on the stairs and waited. Which she had appeared to have been doing a lot of lately. But, after all, what else could she do?

Just walk in. That's what.

That was exactly what she did.

She went through the door like she belonged there. After all, if her sister was there, then she surely did. No one was stopping her from reuniting with her sister.

No one.

And nobody was in sight in the entire foyer. Apparently Frankie had had already left _this_ room. Good. She didn't want to be stopped from getting to her sister. Not even that strange-looking bunny who looked like a butler that was hopping into the room. "Who the heck are you supposed to be?"

"I am, young lady, the Estate Manager. I'm more concerned about you are."

"So does that mean that you are in charge?" If the rabbit had any surprise from Vicky's change of tone, he didn't show it. "And everyone has to do whatever you say?"

"Not quite I'm afraid. Now are you here about your sister?"

"Of course I am. What else would I be here for?"

"Yes, quite," the rabbit said with disdain. "Go on up then. I'm sure that she's with Frankie, probably chattering up a storm instead of doing chores like she's supposed to."

"Who? Frankie or Tootie?"

"Frankie of course. She _is_ the one who loves here."

"Oh yes," Vicky said sheepishly. "Of course."

She didn't thank him when she headed for the stairs. It would have occurred to her to do so in any case. When she stepped on the first stair, she heard voices coming from above. "Sheen, I told you already," the first voice said, "Jimmy would have went to the room already."

"Don't be silly, Carl," the other voice said. "He's probably just working on that word-hole thingy of his."

"Word-hole thingy?" Vicky found herself saying aloud. "You mean his mouth?"

The skinny boy, the one had used that awful phrasing, Blocked his fat friend with an outstretched arm. "What do you want, _Vicky_?"

"Tootie." Vicky didn't particularly like the way that the kid stressed her name. Perhaps being gruff with him would get his attention. "I want Tootie. Perhaps you have heard of her. She's my baby sister."

The skinny kid narrowed his eyes. "Yes. We have heard of him." He continued to glare at her.

Vicky glared back as she marched up the stairs. "Tell me where she is, or I would be forced to hurt you."

-OOO-

"Gee, Frankie, do you think I can adopt Eduardo for my imaginary friend?" Tootie asked when the redhead appeared in the room.

"Oh… I don't see why not, Tootie. But that's not why I had came to see you about." She drew in a deep breath before continuing. "Your sister is here.

"Right now."

Tootie blanched. "Really?"

Frankie nodded.

"How did she find me?" Tootie squeaked. "Who would have actually told her how to find this place?"

"Probably the gas station attendant. This place is hardly unknown."

"Oh."

"Would you like to see her?"

"Never!" Tootie's sudden outburst caused Frankie to jump. She had thought she had known the strength of Tootie's feelings for her older sister, but apparently Frankie had had no idea about the vehemence of it. "I never want to see that witch ever, ever, ever again."

Frankie nodded. "Okay, Tootie. I will just tell her that you don't."

"Good." Tootie was pouting.

Frankie didn't blame Tootie. She would be way that way if she had Vicky for an older sister she supposed. Before she left, however…. "You might want to hide, Tootie. Vicky is probably already in the house looking for you."

Tootie smiled. "I know. I was planning on leaving soon anyway. But thanks for the warning though, Frankie."

"You're leaving? Where are you going?"

Tootie giggled. "I don't really know."

_My god_, Frankie thought, _who were these kids from another universe? They don't seem human._

-OOO-

Jimmy inserted the last of the spark plugs into the breaker box. He wiped his brow when he was finished. "There. That should do it." He stood up. "Now we can begin testing."

"I still don't know why we didn't just wait for Carl and Sheen in the room." Sheen had found a lawn chair for Libby earlier, for which she had thanked him at the night. Now she was beginning to rethink her gratitude. It wasn't exactly the most comfortable chair in the world.

"This would take even longer if we had waited, Libby. Besides, don't you trust Tootie?"

"What if Vicky found her?"

"She's in a house full of imaginary _friends_, Libby. What's the worst that can happen?"

-OOO-

Tootie was laying on the bottom bunk when Sheen and Carl returned to her. Carl was hanging his head low when he entered the room. "I'm sorry, Tootie, but he couldn't find Jimmy."

"That's all right, Carl." She didn't sit up. "Jimmy came by earlier. Then he left to work on his toy."

This didn't do anything for Sheen's mood. "And he didn't wait for us?"

Tootie didn't answer.

Sheen grabbed Carl's shoulders. "This is horrible, Carl." He began to shake Carl. "He has abandoned us!"

"No, I don't, think so, Sheen," Carl said. He couldn't talk straight with Sheen manhandling him like that. "And could you stop shaking me?"

"Sorry." Sheen let go of Carl and returned his attention to Tootie. "About how long was Jimmy here, and where did he go?" That is, where was Jimmy's invention?

"About half an hour ago, and I think he's in the backyard."

"Thanks." They started to leave, but Sheen suddenly stopped and wheeled around. ""Oh, yes. Tootie, I forgot to tell you. But Vicky found us in the hall, and now she knows you are."

That got Tootie to sit up. "It's time to go."

-OOO-

"I thought I had told you wait outside," Frankie said with crossed arms. She was standing at the head of the stairs, barring Vicky from going up that way. "Why are so insist on seeing your sister right now?"

Vicky glowered at her. "I'm here to take her home with me."

"And then what?"

"Wha?"

"What will do when you will do to her after you take her home? Find new ways to torture her? Kill her? And how do I know that your stated desire to take her home is even real?"

Vicky laughed. Just as soon as she decided to tell the truth, no one believed her. (Which wasn't exactly true, but it sure did feel that way.) "Look, sister, I'm getting my sister back, and there's nothing you, or anyone else, can do about it." To punctuate that statement, she shot out her leg and tripped Frankie with it, and jumped over the fallen woman to get onto the second floor. Her path forward was clear.

"How did she do that?" Frankie grumbled before picking herself and chasing after Vicky. _Goodness! Vicky sure is a fast runner!_

-OOO-

Opening a portal between dimensions was a bit more complicated than it sounded. It required that the most delicate of calibrations. And that sort of thing took time. A whole lot of time it seemed. Fortunately, they had all the time in the galaxy in which to do that calibrating. And Jimmy did have some experience with sensor calibration, which should make the task a little easier. He hoped that it would be enough of an advantage to be noticeable. The task was hard enough in his universe, let alone in a unfamiliar universe such as this one.

When he was finished adjusting the controls, he turned to Libby. "Okay, Libby, I think we can send in the first test object now."

"Okay, Jimmy." Libby picked up and placed a meter-tall platinum cylinder in front of portal. The cylinder was attached to a rope that Libby was holding onto by the other end. When they conduct the test, they were going to push the cylinder into the portal, wait exactly sixty seconds, and pull it back out again. Jimmy still wasn't quite about the proper settings in this universe, and you couldn't be too careful with these things….

"Okay, Libby, push it in… now." Jimmy chopped the air with his forearm as he watched his monitor. Hopefully, if nothing went wrong, the cylinder would be returned perfectly unchanged.

Libby pushed in the cylinder and the countdown began. "Sixty… fifty-nine… fifty-eight… fifty-seven…" Jimmy read out the numbers of the countdown while Libby waited to yank cylinder back out of the vortex when Jimmy reached zero. "Fifty-six… Fifty-five…"

Soon after starting his countdown, however, Jimmy heard the foster home's back door slam open. The countdown forgotten, he just had to take a look at who it was. He had hardly expected Carl and Sheen to come running out of that door with Tootie, but that was exactly what was happening. "Run, Jimmy! Vicky's coming!"

"But-"

Before he could do anything else, they ran straight into the open portal. And the portal began to release smoke. Hurrying, Jimmy grabbed Libby's arm. "Come on, Libby. I don't think we have much time!"

"But, Jimmy, what about the test?"

"Forget the test, Libby. Run!"

Libby let herself be guided by Jimmy through the portal.

-OOO-

Frankie could only assume that Vicky was ahead of her.

So when she saw Jimmy and Libby jump into the vortex, Frankie chased them into the hole in space. Vicky had to have been in before they were. She soon realized her mistake.

A second after she had stepped through, the machine blew up.


	16. A World Without You in It

Jimmy Neutron and Fairly Oddparents copyright Viacom

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends copyright Time-Warner

Chapter 16: A World Without You in It

Posted: 31 Jul 2007

"What I don't get is why it blew up like that."

Mac had discovered the remains of Jimmy's machine while looking for Bloo. The explosion had had him really worried about his best friend. He had been so sure that Bloo had been in the middle of it. Needless to say, he was very relived when he didn't find his little, blue friend. That meant he wasn't hurt.

But just where was he? Wasn't he the one who was the first to be attracted to big explosions that seem to come out of nowhere? Like this one?

Eduardo shrugged helplessly. "Me neither, senor Mac. Maybe it supposed to do that."

"No." Mac shook his head. "No, I don't think so, Eduardo. Jimmy wouldn't put a live bomb in the back yard like that."

"A bomb!?!" Eduardo whimpered. "I no want a bomb to blow me up into little pieces."

"Eduardo," Mac explained, "the bomb already did explode. It's not going to hurt you."

"Oh, is this true, senor Mac?"

Mac nodded.

"Gracias, Mac. That is sure a load off my chest."

"I'm just glad to help, Eduardo."

Eduardo nodded his gratitude. "Si, Mac." He paused. "We could ask senor Jimmy."

"That's a good idea, Eduardo. Let's go do that then."

-OOO-

"But Frankie, I just want a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandy-wich," Bloo whined. Surely if he whined he would get what he wanted….

"For the last time, you blue little twerp," the redhead growled at him, "I am most certainly _not_ **Frankie**!"

"Jeez, Frankie, if you just wanted to get it myself, then you could have just said so."

She growled at him. "Stop calling me that! If you know what's good for you!" She shook her fist at him.

"Fine," Bloo said, rolling his eyes. "I'll go make it myself."

"Oh my gosh! You're not Frankie!" Mac appeared in the back door with Eduardo in tow. "Who are you?"

"Oh, hi, Mac," Bloo said absently as he went to the fridge to get some jelly for his sandwich.

"It's none of your business, twerp."

"Are you here for an imaginary friend?"

"Hardly."

Mac tilted his head. "Then, if you don't mind me asking, then what are you doing here?"

"As a matter of fact, twerp, I do mind."

"Ho-kay."

Bloo shut the refrigerator closed when he found the jelly. And he gave the redhead a second look. And something occurred to him. "You want to know what I think, Mac?"

"No, he doesn't!"

"What, Bloo?" Mac sighed.

"I really don't think this is Frankie after all."

"Oh gee. What was your first clue?" the woman-who-wasn't-Frankie asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Bloo crossed his arms over his chest. "'Sarcasm is hardly becoming from a young lady,'" he quoted. He had not been listening to Mr. Herriman for his health after all. Well, actually….

"What did you say?" There was a certain edge to her voice, which Bloo could pick up quite easily.

Bloo rolled his eyes. "Jeez, lady, I said, 'Sarcasm is-'"

"That sounds like something that someone would say to the real Frank."

Bloo eyed her closely. "What do you mean 'the real Frank'?"

"That's _Frankie_, Bloo!" Mac said, clearly exasperated.

"Whatever!"

"It's all very simple, you strange little creature. Just let me explain it to you." Bloo found the smile on her face a tad bit familiar. Just where had he seen it before?

-OOO-

Jimmy didn't really want to wake up. He knew that the waking world was filled with pain and hurt. Dreamland was much safer. But it seemed that his body had other plans for him. He started to wake up.

But it seemed that he wasn't in too much discomfort. In fact the surface he was felt warm and sandy. _Hmm_, he thought. _I must be on the beach_. That might have been true had there been the scent of ocean in the air. So there was no helping it.

He opened his eyes.

He wasn't on the beach.

Instead, he had found himself in a sandbox in the middle of a public playground. And Frankie sitting over him looking at something he couldn't see. "Frankie," he croaked, "what's going on?" And he noticed that his throat was a little dry.

"That's all right, Libby. He's awake now." Frankie helped Jimmy sit back up. "And he looks a little thirsty. Right, Jimmy?"

He nodded.

"Thought so. Let's get you to a drinking fountain."

He took stocks of the playground as Frankie helped him get to his feet. "Thank you, Frankie, but what's going on? I don't see Carl or Sheen anywhere." He did see Libby hurrying in their direction. She seemed excited about something. Jimmy just couldn't tell what.

"Oh Libby sent them out to search for Tootie."

"Those two?" he asked in surprise. "By themselves? They had trouble finding the Candy Bar back home."

"I'm afraid that's something you have to ask her yourself, Jimmy." She shrugged helplessly. "You know them a lot better than I do."

"I suppose," Jimmy said absently. "But how long ago was it since they had left to look for Tootie?"

"Just a few minutes before you woke up."

"Ah." He turned Libby, who was almost upon them. "But what has Libby so excited?"

"I'm not sure. But I think it has something to do with we found ourselves."

"What about it?"

Before she could answer him, Libby caught up to them. "Guys, you aren't going to believe this. But I think we found the world Timmy's from."

Jimmy felt a stabbing pain in his temple.

And he promptly blacked out.

-OOO-

Tootie wandered the streets of her old neighborhood looking for her Timmy. Since she was back in her own hometown, he ought have been around there somewhere. So she decided all his favorite places to be. From years of stalking him, she felt confident that she knew them all. From the time of the day, vaguely indicated by the position of the sun in the sky, he should be at the arcade. Which was at the mall.

Unfortunately she wasn't quite sure where that was. She hadn't been paying very close to the route her aunt and uncle took the one time that they took her there. Now she wished she had. She began to suspect that she was getting herself lost.

She stopped by a green fire hydrant. She really needed to get her bearings, she had realized. But how was she supposed to do that? She had no idea where was! And she certainly wasn't outgoing enough to ask for directions. She had never been exactly the most brave, except around Timmy.

Unfortunately he was nowhere to be seen.

She tried not to cry. If she started weeping now, there would be no telling when she would be stopping. Whenever Vicky had a pity party, she would be at it for hours. She was quite pathetic. And for a while, Tootie had some success….

But her throat felt constricted, the tears came forth anyway. So she plopped down onto the ground and began her crying. "Why must every time I look for my Timmy I get pain and misery!"

"What's the matter, young miss? You can't find your mother?"

She didn't look up. "Actually I'm looking for my boyfriend. Have you seen a young boy with a silly pink hat?"

"Sorry, but I would think I would remember something like that." The woman sat next to Tootie on the curb and wrapped her arm around her shoulders. "When was the last time that he had seen him?"

Tootie smiled sheepishly. "I'm not sure that you would ever believe me…."

The lady smiled back warmly. "You would be surprised what I would believe."

"Really?" Tootie asked uncertainly.

The lady nodded.

"I don't know…."

"Would it help you if I told you that I didn't believe you right now and get it over with?" The lady prompted.

"But that wouldn't help me at all!" Tootie was standing before she knew it. "I knew that you would never understand!"

"Why? Is it because you had last seen each other in previous life?"

Tootie sat back down and shook her head. "No. Nothing like that. He just…." She took in a deep breath and proceeded. "I just have been out of town for a while. Someplace far away," she added.

"I see." The lady smiled. "Would you like some help with this endeavor?"

Tootie nodded, even though she had no idea what endeavor meant.

"Let's get going then." The lady nodded before standing back up. "My name is Cassandra."

"Oh. Mine's Tootie."

"Okay, Tootie. Where should we start first?"

Tootie thought about it for a minute. "The video arcade at the mall!"

"Very well. That's a good place to start."

-OOO-

Sheen gave Carl a look of pure annoyance. "Come on, Carl. If that were true, than monkeys would steal our thoughts and sell them to the money for extra cashew money." He sighed. "Sometimes I envy those monkeys…."

"But I was talking about llamas."

"Oh…. Never mind then."

They had been walking up the sidewalk, looking for Timmy, wherever he might have been, when Sheen stopped in front of a white shingle house with a green roof. "This looks like a promising house. Let's check it out."

"All right, Sheen. But if turns out to be Dracula's house than I'll disavow all knowledge of you to all my friends."

"Fair enough." He walked a few steps before freezing in place. "Hey, I thought I was one of your friends."

"Not after sending me to Dracula's house you're not."

Sheen rolled his eyes. "Fine. If you feel that strongly about it, you can stay right here, where it's safe. While I go talk to whoever is that lives in this house." He started straight away for the house up the concrete walkway. And noticed that Carl wasn't staying behind.

"I'm not staying back if you aren't, Sheen," he declared.

"All right, Carl. But don't say I didn't warn ya."

Carl followed him up the walkway to the front door, which was white set amongst all the green wood paneling that cover the front façade of the house. All was quiet. But there was a certain something in the air….

_Oh well._ Sheen shrugged. Then he knocked on the door when he reached it..

When that didn't seem to have any result, he tried the doorbell instead.

After that didn't seem to work, he shrugged. "I guess nobody's home." He started to walk away.

But then the door was opened.

Sheen's mouth fell open.

"Hello there, young man. I have been waiting for you."

"You!"

-OOO-

They were lucky to have found the house. It perfectly met all their needs.

Now if they could only get the owner's permission to use it….

Wherever she was. Frankie could tell that the owner was a woman, as she had never met any self-respecting male decorate their house in such a fashion. "This is the place, Libby."

"Are you sure, Frankie?"

"Oh, I'm sure all right."

"All right…" Libby seemed uncertain. Nevertheless, she went to the front door and knocked.

Frankie, holding an unconscious Jimmy in her arms, hoped that Libby's knocking would be quickly answered. Jimmy was heavier than he looked. Especially if you have been holding him for a while.

It wasn't answered as promptly as she had hoped.

"Man, what's taking them!"

"Darned if I knew, Frankie."

As if by magic, of which Frankie had some familiarity, a note appeared under the welcome mat. "Er, Libby, there's a note under the welcome mat here."

"Really?" Libby looked. "Do you suppose that it's for us?"

"Could be."

Libby reached to pick it up and read it aloud when she was standing straight again. "Libby Folfax and Frankie Foster, I know that you most be surprised. Don't worry. All will be explained. Stay here 'til then. Key's in Jimmy's left front pocket.

"Signed, Your Friend."

They looked at each other in stunned silence. "What the hell was that?" Frankie blurted out.

"I don't know, Frankie. But I think we had better do as the letter suggests. It's not everyday when an open door is opened to us on another world."

Frankie had to think about it for a while. "All right," she said finally. "But only if the key works in the lock, okay?"

Libby nodded. "All right." She searched Jimmy's pocket and found something that might very well be a key. She took in a deep breathe before pulling it out.

It _was_ a key.

"Now how did that get there?" Frankie murmured. She was very sure that if somebody had slipped something into his pocket, she would know about it. She _was_ carrying him after all. But why would he have a key to _this_ house in his pants pocket…?

"Let's try it." Libby did. The key worked. "Wow. What do you know!"

"Yes, yes, Libby. The key works. Now can we just get inside so that I can put Jimmy down?"

"Of course, Frankie." Libby opened the door, and Frankie stepped through.

Frankie found the couch and laid Jimmy onto it. She sighed. She didn't know what was going on, and the only one who could have possibly told her was out like a newborn babe. Like her cousin's. Frankie had thought that she would never miss the little monster. But now that she was away from there…. "Libby, do you think that I will ever get home again?"

"Why are you asking _me_ that? _You're_ the adult here. Not me."

Frankie grinned rather lamely. "You're right, Libby. _We_ are getting back home. Every one of us."

Jimmy began to stir.

So Frankie watched Jimmy for a minute, still not quite sure what he was doing. She had heard of talking in your sleep. But working out complex mathematical formulae…? Come on. Not even the most science-loving geek was into math _that_ much.

Or was he?

She was starting to really wonder about that….

"Do you understand any of this?" she asked Libby.

She shook her head. "Uh-uh, but it sounds like what he usually says when he's _awake_ though."

Frankie considered about that. "Did he say anything that would get us out of _this_ mess?"

"No, I don't think so. But, then again, how I would know? Pretty much everything he says goes over my head."

_Ah, good point._

She sighed. "Good an eye on him, would you, Libby. I'm going out."

"What will you be doing?"

"Looking for some clues."

"Of where the others might be?"

Frankie grinned faintly. "Yeah, that too."

-OOO-

They hadn't found him anywhere at the mall, despite an hour of searching. Not even at the video arcade where she had though he would be at. But Tootie still wasn't yet willing to give up the hunt. It was her one truelove on the line here. Not something one would, or should, give up without a fight. A good long-drawn-out fight. One that they sung sonnets about years afterward.

Whatever a sonnet was.

She sat down on one of the benches that lined the mall and rubbed her foot after she had removed her shoe. Cassandra remained standing, overly protective. "Cassandra?"

"Hmm?"

"I don't think that he's here."

Cassandra rubbed her left earlobe. "Just wait, Tootie. He'll show. And soon, I might add." She smiled mysteriously. "At least the way to him will be shown to you."

"Huh?"

Cassandra touched Tootie's shoulder. "Just have patience, Tootie. You'll see."

Tootie hoped that Cassandra was right. All this waiting to be reunited with her Timmy was just too much for her to be bear.

Unfortunately it all got worse when Cassandra looked across to the _Fashion Gap_. "Ah, here she comes."

"She? Who she?"

Tootie looked. And she wished that she hadn't. "What the hell?" She couldn't help herself from spitting out the obscenity.

Her big sister was walking out of the store.

Vicky.

-OOO-

"Do you know why you are here, Timmy?"

He nodded. "I can take a guess."

Trixie nodded back. "Good. Now we can hope to begin." She then turned to Chester. "But why are _you_ here?"

"I just followed Cindy here." He belched.

Cindy shot him a disgusted look, but he didn't seem to have noticed. Trixie wondered if he ever noticed _anything_ that didn't involve food, rodents, or the travesties that boys called games. He didn't seem all that observant. And what was with that constant belching anyway? There were ladies present for heaven's sakes! Cindy hadn't said anything, so Trixie felt compelled to say, "That was a very crass thing to do in front of a lady like that, Chester MacBadbat. I think that you should say 'Excuse me' to Cindy right this very minute."

Chester's eyes grew wider. "You remember my name." It was almost a question.

"Yes, yes. Who can forget _yours_? Your father was the worst ballplayer _ever_. Who can forget you two?"

"Oh. Right." He blushed. "Sorry 'bout that. Sometimes I do get a bit carried away."

Trixie nodded. "That's all right, Chester. You're not the only one here with that problem. Everyone gets carried away from time to time." Chester looked visibly relieved. "But," she added, "if we want to settle this important issue that we're now facing, we can't afford to get distracted. We have got to keep our heads together."

"Err, what important issue is that, Trixie?"

"Which of us girls get Timmy, silly."

"Oh." He swallowed.

Trixie cleared her throat. "You still haven't said 'Excuse me' yet, Chester."

"Excuse me?"

"Thank you."

"Wha?"

Trixie ignored him. "Now, Timmy, would you mind leaving the room so that we could talk about your future in peace?"

"Actually I do. It's _my_ future you're talking about."

Trixie smiled. "I understand. Very well. You may stay."

Timmy shrugged. "Okay. But not that it would make any difference. _I_ already made up _my_ mind."

"What are you talking about, Timmy?"

"_You're_ the one I'm going to marry."

Trixie sighed. Not this again. Just when will Timmy get over this horrible fixation over her. Hopefully he would find either Cindy or Veronica a suitable girlfriend, and leave her the heck alone. Personally, Trixie was hoping that he would pick Veronica, the one who seemed most interested in having Timmy as her boyfriend now that Tootie was missing. "That just isn't possible, Timmy. Not for a girl in my position."

"What does that matter? Not when we have true love between us."

Trixie looked to Veronica for support. Timmy's enthusiasm could be quite a problem when that 'true love' of his was only one-sided. That of his side. Veronica, unfortunately, was looking away. Toward the door.

Trixie followed her gaze. And found her father standing there, not looking too happy. "What is it, Daddy?"

"It's Vicky and her little sister. They're both _officially_ missing now."

Timmy smiled in glee. Trixie found that more than just a little disturbing. "Really? You just aren't kidding about that, are you? Icky Vicky is really gone, right?"

"Why, I would never kid about two girls being missing."

"Two?" Timmy blinked. "Who's the other one?"

Trixie sighed. She should have known. Timmy was focused more on the fact that Vicky was gone. Apparently he hadn't noticed the second missing girl. Typical boy. Only thinking about himself. Especially since she has been going through so many problems lately.

It was _his_ secret that had her so flustered after all.

-OOO-

Jimmy woke up to find himself on a plaid couch apparently in someone's basement. It only looked like a basement because it had stairs heading up and no other apparent way out. Otherwise it looked like an ordinary living room with a couch, easy chair, coffee table and a TV. It looked appeared to be a comfortable place to rest for a while. Rest was certainly something that Jimmy could use about then.

Unfortunately the headache was still there.

He had known that jumping through the portal before it was ready was a really, _really_ bad idea. So he wondered what possessed him to drag Libby with him through it. Vicky wasn't _that_ scary. He had, after all, defeated a giant chicken monster on more than one occasion. While he would have been separated from his friends for a time, back in that last universe, he still had access to his lab and would have found a new to get back together with them. Now he had no access to anything. Not even to Goddard and his wondrous capabilities.

But on the other hand, he doubted that he would ever find this specific universe ever again. So maybe he did make the right decision.

He sighed. This wasn't going to be easy. And the splitting headache was helping things along, either. Then he staggered from it. The migraine had suddenly appeared from nowhere. And now it just as suddenly got worse. Had he got from jumping through the portal without properly calibrating it first? Catching a glimpse of Libby, who was climbing down the stairs, he wondered. She didn't seem to be affected.

"Are you all right, Jimmy?" She came rushing to his side. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Do you think you can find some aspirin?" he asked through clenched teeth. The headache was really getting intense now. He was barely able even to think! "I think there's some in the medicine cabinet."

"Okay, Jimmy." And she left for the bathroom to search for that aspirin. Jimmy wished that she would hurry. It felt like his brain were leaking out. And for a genius that's an especially scary thing to happen. After all, what else did they have other than brains?

Libby soon returned. "I'm sorry. I couldn't find any aspirin in the medicine cabinet. Or anything else for the matter. The medicine cabinet seems to be have been emptied when they left."

"Figures." His headache was getting any better.

But at least it wasn't getting any worse. At least that was something.

He guessed.

"Is Frankie back yet?"

"I'm afraid not, Jimmy."

"Jumping Jupiter! Where is she?"

"She went looking for Timmy."

"Just what is taking her? And why did so go in the first place? She doesn't know him. In fact she doesn't even know what he looks like."

"I don't know, Jimmy. But I'm sure that she has her reasons. And…." She slipped a photo of her jean pocket. "She does know what he looks like." She showed him the photo. It was of Timmy.

Jimmy raised his eyebrow. "Why do have a picture of Timmy anyway? We all know what he looks like."

"But I have never been to Dimmsdale before. I have no idea what it looks like."

"But what about all those pictures I showed in my slide show at the Civic Center?"

"I was helping my mother prepare for my grandmother's visit."

"Oh." He frowned. "And where are the others?"

Libby shook her head. "Sorry, Jimmy. Still no sign of them."

"Darn it, where is everyone?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

They jumped at the sudden appearance of the new voice.

-OOO-

"Vicky!" Tootie exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

Vicky looked inquistally at her. "Do I know you?"

From the look on "Vicky's" face, she supposed they didn't. The real Vicky had never looked upon her so kindly. She shook her head. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I must have mistaken you for somebody else."

"Aw, that's too bad." The sympathetic look on the woman's face was starting to freak Tootie out. "Are you looking for this Vicky person? I could help you find her you know." A smile appeared in her eyes. "You know _my_ name is Vicky. Some coincidence, huh?"

No, it wasn't a coincidence. This must have been one of those universes that Jimmy had told her about. Other Dimmsdales. Other worlds. Familiar faces on total strangers. Tootie didn't like it. Not at all.

Cassandra brought both Tootie's and Vicky's hand together. "Now that you are together, my job's done here. I hope that you find what you are looking for, Tootie." She turned to leave.

"Wait, you can't-" Tootie was trying to say _you can't leave yet_. But Cassandra already had. So Tootie reluctantly looked to Vicky instead. She told her with bowed head and closed eyes, "As it turns out, Vicky, there is somebody I am looking for."

"Oh? Who?"

"He's a… a boy." Why am I so hesitant all of a sudden?

"Oh, I see. You're in love with him, aren't you?"

Tootie nodded.

"Don't worry. I'll help you find your beau. I am everyone's favorite babysitter after all."

"Really?" Tootie looked at Vicky doubtfully.

"Really."

Then Tootie remembered her friends. The ones that she had left behind when she had went on this quest. She was a little reluctant to bring it up, but….

"There's another thing, Vicky."

"Oh?"

"I sort of… ah, left my friends behind when I started on my quest to find…."

"Do you know where they are?"

Tootie shook her head. "No. Not really."

"Look here, kid," Vicky told her with a reassuring hand to the shoulder, "I don't know who you are. But I will make sure that you get back to your friends safe and sound."

Tootie marveled at her. "Who _are_ you?" Surely this woman wasn't Vicky! She was far too nice and pleasant!

Vicky just sighed and lightly tussled Tootie's hair. "I told you, silly. I'm everyone's favorite babysitter." She said that without the slightest bit of irony in her voice. Could her name really be Vicky Spain? There was no simply no way that this lady was Tootie's sister.

Then Tootie reminded herself, _Of course this isn't._ This _is a whole new world after all. Not at all like the old one._ There was still one more thing that she needed to know first, though…. "Does one of the kids that you take care of live around here? The one named… Timmy Turner?"

Vicky nodded. "Yes, he is. Is he the kid the one you're looking for?"

Tootie beamed and nodded most eagerly. "Yes. Very much so."

"Okay then." Vicky grabbed her keys from her jeans pocket. "Let's get going."

Tootie followed her out the door onto the parking lot.

-OOO-

Trixie swore.

She had had just torn her sweater on the car door while climbing abroad. With money being tight lately, she couldn't go out to the store and get a new year. And it was her favorite one too. She sighed. Why couldn't she be rich? Like Veronica was. If she was, she could afford to have all the glamorous clothes and parties like her best friend had. She couldn't even afford a decent-sized wardrobe of the kind of clothes she _did_ have.

While her dad had always told her that family was more important than money, surely it was better to have both family _and_ money? Right?

"Something wrong, pumpkin?"

"Nothing, dad. I just ripped my sweater on the door." _Again_, she could have added, but didn't. This wasn't the second time either, and Trixie didn't want to sound whiney on their way to Wally World. Not after she had been asking for it for all those months.

Not when they weren't exactly the richest family in Dimmsdale. Not like the Taylors. Not only could they afford to have vacations at the Pirates of the Caribbean resort in Jamaica, but they could also easily buy it, too. The Tangs didn't nearly have enough money for that.

Trixie wished that for once, just once, Veronica would invite her on her cruise vacations.

But she never did.

So Trixie were stuck on a trip to the "next best thing": her grandmother's house on the other side of the state. She didn't mind, but she did wish for a more glamorous vacation once in a while.

-OOO-

When they reached Timmy's house, Tootie couldn't get out of the car fast enough. Here was the one boy she had been waiting with all her heart to see. But as she got closer, it soon became apparent that Timmy had only eyes for _Vicky_! He was rushing toward her, not trying his best to avoid her or, which was worse, not paying and attention to Tootie. Tootie's head swam as she tried to grapple with the thought.

Tootie felt sick. She didn't think that she would ever get used to _this_ universe at all. If she had needed any proof that this wasn't _her_ Dimmsdale, this was it.

Inside, it wasn't much better. If anything, Timmy's eyes only got bigger as she looked upon his babysitter. Tootie wished that he would give _her_ those eyes. But she knew she was being silly. This was completely different Timmy than _her_ Timmy.

She had to remember that.

Otherwise, she was going to have a _completely_ miserable time of it.

Timmy planted himself onto the couch, looking up adoringly at Vicky.

"Now you do your homework while I'll make you a snack. How's macaroni and cheese sound?"

"Yes'm." A beat later, "Thank you."

Vicky giggled. (Tootie shivered. She had never heard Vicky _giggle_ before. It just wasn't natural.) "It's just what we babysitters do," she said before going into the kitchen.

That was something that _her_ Vicky wouldn't do.

Tootie wept.

-OOO-

Jimmy was still weary of the woman. She had the nasty habit of appearing where she was least expected and not explaining she was able to manage it. It certainly help any trust he might have for her when she claimed that she knew what had gone with his portal and wouldn't share the secret. He was getting the distinct impression that she wanted them trapped there.

But why would she want that?

Jimmy didn't know the woman very well. It could very well be perfectly natural for a woman like her to set boy geniuses up like that. Or it might not. How was he supposed to know?

The woman sat across the dining room table from him. Her plate lay in front of her still remained untouched. Jimmy wasn't so sure that he appreciated that. She was the one who had prepared the dish in the first place. So he left his food untouched as well. "Is this even food," he finally asked.

She smiled. "How do you mean?"

"I don't see you eating."

"Well, don't mind me. Go ahead. Dig in."

"Not until you do."

She leaned in closer. "You're a suspicious young man. I do hope that you are aware of that."

"So is this some of test?"

"Hardly. I just feel very comfortable eating first." She indicated for him to go ahead and eat.

Uncertain about the whole thing, he planted his fork to the spaghetti and twirled some with the fork. Watching for her reaction, he slowly brought the fork to his mouth and took a bite. As he did so, the woman also began eating.

Jimmy began to breath easier. "So what went wrong with my invention? And just how do _you_ know about it?"

"There are many things that I know, Jimmy. Many, _many_ things."

"Oh?"

The woman smiled. "My name is Cassandra by the way."

"That's nice, _Cassandra_. What happened to my portal?"

"I had nothing to do with it, if that was getting at."

"It's not."

"Very well, Jimmy. I will tell how it was sabotaged-"

"Sabotage?"

"-and who had done it," she went on, as though Jimmy hadn't spoken. "But first I want to make me a promise."

"What sort of promise?" Jimmy was starting to like this woman less and less. He also didn't think that she was exactly human. While she wouldn't the first non-human he had ever met, it was a tad bit annoying when they _looked_ human nevertheless.

"It is quite simple, Jimmy. I want you to date my daughter."

"_What_?!"

"Would you date my daughter, Jimmy Neutron?"

"W-why would you want me dating your daughter?" Jimmy asked, afraid that she would be asking him to _marry_ him next.

Cassandra shook her head. "It's not what _I_ want that's important here. It's _she_ wants."

Jimmy eyed her with suspicion. "Just who is _she_ anyway?"

"It's someone you know very well, Jimmy. Somebody you would sell all your inventions and fancy gadgets just to spend one moment under the stars with."

"There's nobody like that!"

Cassandra smiled. "And she would do the same for you."

"What woman is this!"

"You'll see."

Jimmy doubted it. The only other geniuses he knew hardly fit Cassandra's description. They were both sons, and they hardly liked him. Maybe she was overestimating her daughter's intelligence a bit. But he didn't know any girls that liked him like that.

None at all.

So it probably wouldn't hurt to agree to this strange lady's request. "Is one date sufficient?"

"One date is all that it will take."

"All that it will take to do what?"

Before Cassandra could answer, if indeed she was going to answer, Libby came into the dining room after her trip to the bathroom. "Were you just talking about me?" she asked when she heard them talking.

"No, Libby," Jimmy replied. "No, not at all."

"Good." Libby breathed in relief. "I would hate to think that you were secretly in love with me."

"Yeah. I would hate that too."

-OOO-

Cindy giggled. "And then what did you do?"

"After seeing him like that, I laughed so hard that my sides hurt."

Timmy scowled. They were talking about _him_, and they didn't seem at all that they were leaving him out of the conversation. Certainly not now. Not when Trixie was telling her about the time that Francis had tied his bathing trunks to the diving board at the pool and he was suddenly naked when he dove into the pool. He had never been more embarrassed in his life. Not before or since.

Trixie's phone rang, interrupting her little "talk" with Cindy. "Tang residence. Trixie speaking…. Yes, he's here." Trixie nodded. Who was she talking to? "Bring him too…? All right. But Cindy's here too." She nodded. "See you then."

She hung up. "A.J. wants to see us, Timmy."

"Did he say why?"

Trixie shook her head. "He didn't. But he said that I could bring Cindy with us. Are you up for a trip to boy genius's house."

"One got me into this mess. I suppose one could get me out. Right?"

What was that supposed to mean? Didn't she get here by somebody making a stupid wish? (Never mind the fact that it was _his_ stupid wish.) What was this all about? "You coming too?"

He looked up. "Hmm? Ah, right." He knew that Trixie's question was a rhetorical one. "Of course. What else would I be doing?"

He was also curious about what was going on. And going to A.J.'s seemed to be the best way to answer that question.

"Good." Trixie grabbed her coat. "I know that it's late. But he had said that we had to hurry. It's very important."

Now Timmy was really rearing to go.

-OOO-

Tootie felt nauseated.

Timmy was giving _Vicky_ of all people all his love and adoration. And what made things worse was that she seemed to be deserving of that attention and worship and adoration. She was the perfect babysitter. She never yelled or screamed. She never hit them. Or make them do all _her_ chores. Or made them feel like trash in any way.

She was perfect.

Tootie felt like throwing up.

Was this the reason that she had been so reluctant to tell Vicky about Timmy earlier?

She stood up. "Could someone show me the bathroom?" Even if she wasn't about to vomit, she still wanted to be out of there.

"Sure thing, squirt." Vicky started to get up.

"No, not you. Him," Tootie said, pointing toward Timmy.

Vicky blinked in surprise but sat back down. "All right."

Timmy didn't seem too happy about it. He didn't want to be away from _his_ Vicky. But, on the other hand, he seemed hesitant to make his _precious_ Vicky do it instead. "It's-"

"I want _you_ to show me, Timmy," Tootie insisted.

Timmy nodded a little reluctantly. "Okay."

He got up and began to escort Tootie to the bathroom. Tootie felt a little foolish, but she just had to ask. "You like Vicky, don't you, Timmy?" She felt the corner of her mouth twitch, but otherwise was unaffected. Now _that_ was progress.

He looked flustered. "What are you talking about? I don't love her at all. You're talking crazy. We're just good friends. That's all."

_Aha! Thought so._ So now where do we go from here? "So… is there a girl that you _do_ like?"

Timmy looked away and said nothing.

He looked so vulnerable, so alone. Tootie didn't press him any further. "How long had Vicky been babysitting you?"

"Oh gee, I thought since you knew me _so_ much, I would thought that you would know," Timmy said not without some sarcasm in his voice.

Tootie lowered her head. "I'm sorry, Timmy. But it's clear to me now that I don't."

Timmy said nothing. There was no need. They were already at the bathroom. Tootie sighed. Timmy was probably not going to be waiting for her when she got out. "Thank you, Timmy."

"You're welcome." A tad bit formal, but she didn't really take particular notice of it. Far too much had happened to her lately for her to care about such things.

She went back downstairs. It would be soon time for bed. And she wanted to be with people that she knew. Not these cruel caricatures of Timmy and Vicky.

-OOO-

The coincidences were piling up far too high for it to be anything other than an omen. Which were these special little messages from God that tell you that something major is about to happen. And He would know.

Vicky hated God.

He was the one who had put her in this mess. If he hadn't been the one who had let her be bullied by him into bullying her own baby sister then none of this would be happening to her.

"Other terrible, horrible things would have happened to me instead." Saying that quietly to herself seemed to cheer her up a little.

But only a little.

The fact was that she was far too depressed for very much cheering.

Those other hypothical terrible, horrible things just didn't seem very real to her at the moment. Or even any of the kind acts that she _did_ do in her life. Just the bullying she had done throughout her life seemed to have any kind of reality to her. She hadn't done very many kind deeds in her time, after all. And she had had many, _many_ victim throughout the years of her tenure as a babysitter. And, to make things worse, she couldn't even remember who her first victim had been.

She had been a real Grade-A bitch.

And so Vicky lay huddled on the bed crying to herself.

She hated her parents. She hated her neighbors. She hated her charges. She even hated complete strangers whom she had never met before. She hated everybody. Except for her pets.

And her sister.

That she didn't realize until now.

"It isn't fair!" She let her tears flow freely. "It just isn't fair," she added softly.

Like that mysterious scar in her bikini area, her past sins festered in her soul. Though she didn't blame Tootie. She blamed herself. Vicky wouldn't want to trust her either if she were in Tootie's shoes. She had apparently burnt far too many bridges between them for there to be a loving and trusting relationship between the two sisters ever again.

And it had been all her fault!

And there didn't seem to be anything she could do about it.

Vicky cried herself to sleep.

-OOO-

Madam Margaret Foster paced the floor of her office. She was starting to get worried about Frankie. There was still no sign of her granddaughter. It just wasn't like her to be gone for this long without calling. Something must have happened to her. She tried not to think about what it might have been without learning more first. Because whenever she did think of her granddaughter's possible fate, horrible images of Frankie's mangled body usually came to mind.

And there were those other kids to worry about, as well.

"Is there still no sign of them, Mr. Herriman," she asked when he entered the room.

He shook his head sadly. "No, ma'am. Still no sign of them."

Margaret stopped in front of the window and stared into the distance. "Where could she be? It's not like her to disappear like this. She would have found a way to leave word if she had to go someplace suddenly. I fear something has happened to her."

Mr. Herriman huffed. "Perhaps that Jimmy kid knows something about. Miss Frances disappeared soon after he and his friends arrived here. I'll bet he, or one of his friends, had something to with her disappearance."

"Now, Herriman, there's no need to jump to conclusions. I'm sure that there is a more logical explanation. There has to be!"

Mr. Herriman looked out the window. "Well, it _is_ getting late, madam. Perhaps we should continue our search in the morning. When there's more light."

Margaret nodded. "All right, Mr. Herriman."

"What are you talking about, Grandma? I'm right here."

Margaret looked up. And frowned. "Where were you, Frankie? You had us all very worried."

"I'm sorry, Grandma. There were… some things I had to do. I guess I had forgot to tell you. I'm sorry, but I promise that it will never happen again."

There was something insincere in her voice, but Margaret let it pass. If Frankie felt uncomfortable talking to her grandmother about her… problem, then Margaret would give her some time. Frankie had proved her trustworthiness time and time again. Margaret would wait until Frankie was ready to open up.

Unless of course Frankie's… problem interfered with her duties at the house. Then it would be the Intervention Express! And Margaret knew all there was to know about interventions.

Frankie started to leave.

"Oh, Frankie?"

"Yes, Grandma?"

"What happened to those kids who were here today?"

"Oh, them? They went back home."

Margaret nodded. "Thank you."

-OOO-

There was a deep rumbling from beneath the floorboards.

"That's not a good sign." Frankie looked anxiously toward Jimmy. "Could you have anything to do with that, whatever it is?"

"No," he replied sharply. "Why does everyone accuse me of being the one responsible every time something happens?"

"Does that happen a lot? You being blamed, I mean?"

Jimmy sighed. "Unfortunately."

And just as suddenly as it had started the rumbling stopped.

"Should I be relieved that the sound is gone?"

Jimmy shrugged. "I wish I knew, Frankie. I don't even know what was causing it."

Frankie grinned. "I don't suppose we can go down and investigate." She was anxious, and really needed an adventure to get her mind away from the fact that she was stuck a long ways from home.

Jimmy shook his head.

"Darn." She sucked on her fingernail. Then she eyed him with no small amount of suspicion. "Why can't we?"

"I'm not afraid that since we have been trapped here, I don't access to any of my technology."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"It might be a giant monster, Frankie. If it attacked us, what then?"

Frankie groaned. She hadn't thought of that! "You're the resident genius here. _You_ think of something!"

Did they even want to know what was going on in the basement? Jimmy wondered. It wasn't like that activity was going to repeat itself, right? His answer came when the rumbling returned.

He nodded. "All right, Frankie. I'll see if I can come up with something."

"That's all that we ask for, Jimmy."

-OOO-

Tootie fell backwards onto the bed. It was the most comfortable bed that she had ever lain in. Just as well, she supposed. It looked just like hers, minus the canopy.

"Do you mind!"

She turned her attention toward him. "Do I mind what, Timmy?"

"I would much appreciate it if you didn't jump into my bed, Tootie."

"Aw, where's your sense of fun?"

"I have plenty of fun," Timmy objected, but without much feeling.

"Oh really?"

"That's right!"

"Like when?"

"I play video-"

"I mean real fun. You know. With other kids."

"I will have you know that I play those other games with Chester and A.J."

Tootie smiled indulgently. "That's not I meant. I meant spontaneous things. Like, let's say, going up a girl that you really like and telling her how you feel about her."

Timmy looked at her with total panic in his eyes. "I can't do that! What if she doesn't like me back?"

Oh boy. She really had her work cut out for her.


	17. Being Who You Really Are

Jimmy Neutron and Fairly Oddparents copyright Viacom

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends copyright Time-Warner

Chapter 17: Being Who You Really Are

Posted: 29 Jun 2009

Julius watched the monitors with _some_ interest.

The displays hung in midair showing the target from at least nine different angles. The number changed from time to time. They had been set up to watch Tootie Spain in case something came up. But so far she has shown no sign of making a nuisance out of herself. Further action had yet to be needed. But one must not himself grow too complacent. Anything could happen to upset the plans of his masters.

Anything.

He started for the door. "Alert me when something happens. We mustn't let things get to too much out of control."

The woman seated in front of the monitors nodded. "I understand."

Julius left the room without another word.

The preparations were yet unfinished.

And there was so much to be done… before the end.

-OOO-

They had taken extreme measures to make sure that they were actually alone. They had met in the most unlikely of places. The downstairs hallway closet. But even then they still had to check for hidden listening devices and the like. At Madam Foster's insistence of course. Mr. Herriman would never think that the house, or any part of it for that matter, might have been bugged. He was simply not paranoid enough. Nor did he seem to notice that the girl calling herself Frankie wasn't really Frankie. Margaret didn't know why.

"Now, Bunny," she told him, "I know that you trust my granddaughter."

"Absolutely," her friend assured her. "Unless of course she makes a mistake."

"Of course." Actually Frankie almost never did make a mistake, though that was something that wasn't about to bring up just then. She wanted to convince him that "Frankie" was really an imposter, not start up an argument. "But don't you think that Frankie has acting a little… odd lately?"

"Odd? Odd how?"

Margaret sighed. "Don't you ever pay attention to what Frankie is ever doing?"

"Why on earth would I want to do that for?"

Margaret leaned in closer and whispered, "So you can notice when she's acting a little… peculiar."

"That's complete nonsense, madam," Mr. Herriman responded, adjusting his monocular. "She always acts peculiar."

Margaret gave him a look. That had hardly been the reply that she had been looking for. "I'm sure that she's a perfectly normal teenager. I think that you need to get out a little more."

"Teenager? Madam, I'll have you know that she's twenty-two!"

"Oh? Is she now?"

"Yes, she is, madam."

"Oh well then. That certainly puts a new spin on things, doesn't it?" she laughed.

Mr. Herriman sighed. "Madam."

"Oh yes. Our little crisis here."

"Yes, _that_ crisis." Mr. Herriman rolled his eyes. "Now which crisis would that be, madam?"

"The imposter!"

Mr. Herriman sighed. "Oh yes. _That_ imposter," he said, rolling his eyes. "Honestly, madam. Can't this wait until morning?"

"Not on your life, bunny!"

"I'm very tired, madam, and tomorrow's a big day with Adopt-a-Thought Saturday and all. I think I need we need to get some sleep." He reached for the doorknob.

"With that imposter just waiting to slit our throats while I sleep? I think not!"

Mr. Herriman shrugged. "I guess you could sleep in here, madam."

"No. I'll stay up, keeping my eye on that woman until she slips and makes a mistake."

He sighed again, more heavily this time. "Suit yourself, madam."

After he left, Margaret waited five minutes before getting out of the closet. She didn't want to be seen leaving the closet with Mr. Herriman. She didn't want the imposter intruder to catch them together and begin to suspect that they were on to them. They had even met in the closet at different times, so as not to draw any undue attention.

The coast seemed to be clear, but you could never be too careful with these things.

-OOO-

Vicky needed time to hatch a plan to get her sister back.

Time was something that seemed short in supply.

And the only way she could think up was to pretend to be this Frankie woman until she had such a plan. And that was a proposition that had proved both harder and easier than she had thought it would be. While she was a near copy for Vicky, this woman acted _nothing_ like Vicky. That brown-haired kid with the square face was beginning to suspect the truth. (Their initial meeting together certainly didn't help matters any.) Fortunately the one woman whose opinion really mattered, the caretaker's grandmother, had completely fallen for Vicky's charade. That should make everything that followed all that more the easier.

She was glad that she managed to get herself out of bed in time to do that much. She had been _very_ tired from grieving over lost opportunities and bad decisions she had made in her life and had fallen asleep before she had known it. She couldn't allow herself to make mistakes like that, or of any other kind for that matter, in the future.

But that she had finished phase one, she could get some sleep now. After all she had deserved it, and lots of things to do in the morning.

But one thought bugged her as she fell asleep.

Whatever had happened to the _real_ caretaker to this place?

-OOO-

The drive to A.J.'s place didn't take long at all. Much faster than Timmy had hoped it would take. The more time he could spend with Trixie the better. Even if he couldn't spend that alone with her.

Unfortunately when they got there, nobody seemed to be answering the door, despite Trixie's persistent knocking. After several minutes of getting nothing, she huffed. "He had said to meet him here." She frowned. "I don't like it when boys stand me up."

"You don't?" Cindy wondered.

"Of course not. What girl does?" Trixie eyed her suspiciously. "Why?"

"I'm just surprised that sort of thing happens to you, Trixie. What kind of guy would stand _you_ up?"

"That's a very good question."

Suddenly the door opened, and A.J. was standing there, panting from exhaustion. "_There_ you are. What took you so long?"

He looked worried. _Very_ worried. When A.J. was worried, Timmy had long ago decided, it was probably time that was as well. "I'm sorry, Trixie. But something has come up."

"What?"

A.J. shook his head. "No. Not here. Not now." He lowered his voice. "Too many ears."

"'To many ears?' What are you talking about?"

A.J. grabbed Trixie's wrist and pulled her inside, apparently much to her surprise.

Timmy wasn't at all surprised though. This was hardly the first time that A.J. had suddenly jerked somebody into his house. Just because this was the first time it was a girl….

Timmy went inside after them, and Cindy followed. It wasn't like they had anything better to do. They had come here for a reason after all. A.J. had something to show them, and Timmy was a little bit curious about it was.

A.J. led them to his room where his lab was hidden. He paused before going in. "You might not like what you see in there," he said before opening the door.

"But is it the truth?" Trixie asked.

"Yeah. I think so."

"Then why the holdup? Let us in already."

He opened the door, and they followed him in.

A.J.'s room was a little more messy than usual. Meaning that it was disorganized at all. A.J. was usually a neat person. The state of his bedroom where kept his laboratory hidden though hardly reflected this. A gadget whose function couldn't pretend to understand was completely disassembled on A.J.'s bed. Timmy wasn't even sure that they all belonged to the same machine. Maybe this was what had got A.J. so riled up.

When everyone was inside, A.J. closed the door and switched his room to lab mode. He sat at his desk. "What you hear here tonight is for your ears only, all right?"

When everyone agreed, A.J. began. "I began by comparing the blood that I had gathered from everyone in town."

"I noticed that you didn't get a sample of _my_ blood there," Cindy commented.

"It hadn't been necessary."

"Oh."

"Now if you don't mind, can I continue now?"

Cindy shrugged. "Go ahead. But do remember that I have some questions for you afterward."

"What questions?" Clearly A.J. was as nearly surprised as Timmy was.

"Oh you can bet that I will come up with some good ones."

"Cindy," Trixie said pleasantly, "let the man finish. Then you can rip into him."

"Darn it, Trixie. I'm fighting with Nerd-tron! We're just… Ah right." She nodded, blushing. "You can continue, A.J."

A.J. nodded. And began to explain. About genetic markers and how everybody in the world has a complete set unique ones. But they were such that a trained researcher, such as A.J., could tell who was related to whom. Everybody got a half of their genes from their mother, and the other half from their father. Without very, very, _very_ careful lab work, A.J. could trace lines between parent and child, and even, in like manner, the line between siblings, if such a thing were called for. Which it wasn't. "Trixie Tang and Timmy Turner had been switched at birth," he finally concluded.

"My parents are actually rich? Cool!" While Timmy did love his own parents, having rich ones did have a certain appeal to it. It involved money. And lots of it too.

Trixie was obviously less than amused. "You lie!"

"But it's God's honest truth, Trixie. Honest."

"But you're saying that the Turners are my parents!" she shrieked.

"My data never lies." A.J. tapped the chart that he had on his computer display, as if that would actually prove anything. Timmy was quite sure that A.J. was the only one who could actually understand any of it. A.J.'s _very_ detailed explanation notwithstanding.

"You wanna bet!"

Cindy began to snicker.

Trixie shot her a dirty look. "What's so dang funny about this?"

"It's just you're taking the word of this so-called boy genius far too seriously. What kind of proof does he have for any of this anyway? So he took a couple of blood samples? Big deal. Why did he have to take blood samples when a swab of the cheek would do?"

"Well…."

"You just like taking people's blood, don't you, vampire boy!" Trixie now had him by the collar, shaking him quite vigorously. "Well? When someone is asking you a question, it's only polite to _answer them_!"

"But, Trixie, he was only doing what you had asked to do."

The addition of the fifth voice took everyone by surprise.

-OOO-

Tootie sighed. At this rate Timmy was _never_ going to admit his love for his babysitter. She tried not to think of her as _Vicky_. Nothing good could come from _that_ line of thinking. In this reality she was simply the babysitter. Not anything fancy. Just the babysitter. Everyone would be much better off if Tootie kept thinking along those lines.

"Is this going to take much longer, Tootie? I'm tired and I want to go to bed."

"No, Timmy," she explained patiently for the third time. "We're not going to bed until you get this right."

He sighed. "If you say so, Tootie." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Tootie waited. And waited. If Timmy was in any hurry to kiss her, he certainly wasn't showing any sign of it. It was almost as if….

"Can't I just tell her how I feel?"

Tootie opened her eyes. "How much luck had you with that so far?"

"Well…."

"I guess that you're right." Timmy sighed.

"Of course I'm right. Now give me a great, big kiss." Tootie leaned forward with her eyes closed in anticipation. She was prepared to wait a _little_ longer.

She didn't have to wait too long though. "Are you sure that this isn't some intent to get me to kiss you?"

Tootie started. Timmy was right on the target, but Tootie wasn't about to let _him_ know that. "Don't be silly, Timmy. Now what had put such a silly idea in her head?"

"I don't know, Tootie. Why else would you be giving me kissing lessons?"

She failed to look him in the eye. Though she wanted to. What could she say? He was totally right about that.

But she wasn't about to let Timmy know that. She didn't how he would react. But now matter how he would, it was bound to _inconvenient_ for her. "Don't be silly. What gave you such a stupid idea anyway?"

"So you do want to kiss me then." Tootie had to look away.

"Of course not! I don't want anything to do with girls."

"But you want to-"

"Vicky isn't a girl." Timmy sighed contently. "She's a woman."

"If you say so…." Tootie didn't know too much boys, but already she could tell that this was going to take a while.

-OOO-

They hesitated before opening the door to the basement. Who knew what horrors lay in wait down there for them? "You first," Jimmy prompted.

"Oh no!" Frankie pushed him forward. "We've already discussed this. _You're_ going first." She gave him a pat on the back. "Come on, bucko. You've made it this far. Don't tell me that you want to turn _now_?"

"Well…." Some of the sounds from the basement seemed like they had come from a nightmare of his. A particularly terrifying one. Not exactly something to boost his courage. But Frankie was right. He shouldn't something like this scare him into inaction. That was no way for him to live. "All right, Frankie," he said. "I'll do it."

"That's my boy."

He opened the door ever so slightly and peeked inside. "Oh my god."

"Ack! What is it, Jimmy?"

He looked back at Frankie with eyes the size of tea cozies. "There's nothing down there."

"Nothing? What do you mean nothing down there?"

"There's nothing down there, Frankie."

"What do you mean that there's nothing down there?" Frankie appeared in the corner of Jimmy's vision. "Then what were those noises that we heard?"

Sure enough, there was nothing down in the basement. The room was completely empty. "Wait a minute. Wasn't there stuff down there?"

"I know."

"Then what happened to it all?"

"I don't _know_!"

They listened for the slightest noise as they silently crept down the stairs into the cellar. Despite hearing nothing, they continued forward with caution. Who knew what horrors laid in wait for them?

Neither of them saw the cracks appear on the floor.

-OOO-

"Who the heck are you?" Trixie really hated it when people sneak up on her, and she really wanted an answer NOW!

The woman who had suddenly appeared in the room smiled. She was a severely beautiful woman in a pencil thin blue dress. Trixie had a feeling that she had seen this woman somewhere before. But that was silly. Trixie would have remembered seeing a woman like _her_. "That's hardly relevant, since you had come here to learn who _you_ are, didn't you, Trixie Tang?"

"What? How did you know that?"

"Why else would a popular girl such as yourself visit a nerd such as A.J. in the middle of the night?"

"Actually I can think of several things at the drop of a needle."

"Don't you mean a 'drop of a hat'?"

"No."

The woman nodded. "Of course not. You're the kind of gal who says what she means, and means what she says, aren't you?"

"Yes-s." Anything knew Trixie ought to know _that_ much. Where was she going with this?

"No, she doesn't," Timmy disagreed. "She still hasn't confessed her true love for me yet."

Trixie sighed. Not this again. When we will ever get it through his thick head that she didn't love him. She never had. And she never wo- "You love him, don't you?"

"What?" Her thoughts had been interrupted by that woman so quickly that Trixie had trouble keeping up. "Of course I don't. Why would you even ask me such a thing?" She narrowed her eyes at the stranger. She was up to something. Trixie could smell it. But what could it be? But it had to be more than just getting Trixie to admit that she loved Timmy Turner (which she didn't). It just had to.

The woman patted Trixie's shoulder. "Don't worry, dear. Your feelings in this matter will become clear to you in due time."

"What are you talking about? They're clear now."

The stranger just smiled back. "Of course they are."

"Is there something that you wanted? Or are you just here to make trouble?"

"Actually I'm here to help."

"Help? What help?" She turned to A.J. "Are you going to say something? Or am I holding this entire conversation by myself?" Apparently she was. A.J. was whispering with Cindy about something. "Do you want to share with the class, hmm?"

Cindy shook her head. "No, that's all right. Go on."

The woman did. "My name is Catherine. I have a proposal for you, A.J. Sanderson."

"What kind of proposal?" he asked.

She smiled. "I have a job for you."

-OOO-

Vicky woke up screaming.

But even when she settled down she still couldn't remember what had frightened her so much. "Stupid nightmares," she grumbled as she swung her feet over the edge of the bed. She sighed. "Might as well go to the bathroom while I'm at it." Her bladder did feel a little full.

She stood….

And the scar on her bikini area began to burn and itch. She tried scratching it, but that didn't seem to work. The itching and burning just continued. In fact he seemed to be getting worse. Vicky was very uncomfortable at this point. "Okay, I get it," she cried to the ceiling, "I haven't exactly been the nicest babysitter that I could have been. But is this any way to punish me for it?"

Just as she had been expecting, there was no answer.

And the dull aching on her lower stomach continued, which made Vicky even crankier than she had been before. "Huh. Maybe that was the answer that I was looking for." Not much of an answer, but Vicky didn't think that she could take much more of an answer just then. Her body just couldn't take it anymore.

Neither could her soul.

She began to scream.

-OOO-

It was very late when Trixie arrived at her grandmother's with her father.

But, despite being very, very tired, she refused to fall asleep before seeing her grandmother. It was such a long time between visits. Each time she had left for home, Trixie didn't know if she would ever see her grandmother ever again. She wasn't ill, but she was getting up in years.

She wasn't going to live forever.

But they had been on the road for an awfully long time, and Trixie's eyes stubbornly refused to stay open. They were of the opinion that it was time to get some shuteye. Now. She mustn't listen to them though.

People were so much better than that. Especially her. She was the last of the Red Hot Mamas. She had a reputation to uphold.

As she followed her father up the steps to her grandmother's porch, she began to notice an odd odor. It reminded her of something that happened a long time ago. But she couldn't quite remember what it was. She sighed. It was the story of her life. Finding smells that reminded her of things she couldn't recall. So she just decided to assume whatever it had been in her past couldn't have possibly been all that bad and just get on with her life.

Her grandmother answered the knocking right away. "You're finally here! I was starting worried about you two. I thought you're supposed to come a couple of hours ago."

"Sorry, Gladys. I guess the time sort of went away on us."

"Well, you're here now. So that's what matters." Trixie's grandma was the sweetest person she knew. Apparently she had been waiting up for them. She was wearing her favorite housedress. The one with all the cartoon characters all over it. It was also Trixie's favorite too. It reminded her of her late mother.

Grandma let them inside. Trixie was surprised to see that they weren't alone. She already had some company over. "Hello," Trixie said bashfully.

"Hello." The lady smiled. "My name is Catherine. And I'm very pleased to meet you."

Trixie greeted her. "Hello. I'm Trixie."

"Yes, I know."

She grimaced. That was a little off-putting. But then she realized. They must have been talking about her before she got there. That was something she was used to though. People were always talking about her while she wasn't there. "So you've been talking about me, huh?"

Grandma shook her head. "Not really."

Trixie frowned. "What were you talking about then?"

"We'll tell you later, honey. When you're ready."

"Ready?"

"I'm sorry, dear. But I'm afraid that this is a little… advanced for you."

"All right." Trixie didn't exactly agree with the assessment. But she had been taught to listen to her elders. No matter how foolish they sound to her. They probably knew something that she didn't.

Actually they almost certainly did.

-OOO-

"Okay," Timmy asked. "What was that all about?"

After A.J. heard Catherine's job offer, he had, with very little explanation, thrown Timmy and the others out into the cold night. He had only said that he needed to "talk over" a few things with Catherine. What those things were Timmy had no idea.

Not that he cared of course. It just had been awfully rude of A.J. to shove them out of the house without a word why. It was simply not what a good host would do.

"It won't help, you know." It was Cindy, interrupting his thoughts.

"Huh?"

"Worrying. It never seems to help matter. At least not in my experience."

"Bah. What do you know, Cindy?"

Cindy laughed. "A lot more than you it would seem."

A moment of silence passed between them. Cindy couldn't be right. She just couldn't. Timmy knew a lot more things than Cindy would give him credit for. Nevertheless he said nothing. He knew from experience that arguing with a girl wouldn't do any good.

Plus she was too pretty to tell that she was wrong. Even though she was.

Chester came running back from wherever had gone off to, carrying… something. "Hey, guys! Look at what I found!" The thing in his hands looked rather disgusting. It looked like a cross between a duck and a something else.

"What the heck is that… thing?" Cindy regarded the _item_ in Chester's hands with no small amount of disdain.

"I don't know." He studied it some more. "But whatever it is, it's really cool."

Timmy had to admit that was certainly true. Cindy, on the other hand, didn't. "Where did you find that? The dumpster out back?"

Chester looked surprised. "How did you know? Were you spying on me?"

"Hardly. I have better things to do than watch some boy dig through the garbage."

"You know. I sorta feel sorry for you."

"What for?"

Chester breathed in deeply from the air around the little of piece of tinsel that he was holding. "You don't know what you're missing."

Cindy rolled her eyes. "Boys."

"Hey!_ I_ don't go looking through the trash, Cindy," Timmy pointed out.

"You have your own garbage to search through."

Timmy had no idea what she had meant by that, but he was sure that it was somehow insulting. But before he could pursue that line of thought, A.J. came out of the house with that woman. Just who was she anyway? What strange did she have over A.J? "I have an announcement to make." He paused. "Catherine here has offered me a job. I have decided to take it."

"What sort of job?" Cindy sneered.

"That's on a need-to-know basis," Catherine cheerfully explained. Timmy got the distinct impression that she didn't think that he needed to know. While he began to suspect that he did. Something very fishy was going on here, and he didn't like it.

Cindy simply rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Chester was a tad more enthusiastic. "Cool! A top-secret mission. When can we get started?"

Surprisingly Catherine began to laugh. "I appreciate your interest, young man. I really do." Then she grew serious. "But I'm sorry, Chester. But this is just between A.J. and me. You do understand?"

Chester nodded solemnly. "So what will you be doing then?"

She gave him a look that read _You're kidding, right?_

"You have to be a little patient with him, ma'am," Cindy explained. "He sometimes gets a little… excited is all."

Timmy felt a tinge of jealousy. When and how had she gotten to know Chester so well? And why were they holding hands like that?  
"Does he now?" Catherine had an inquisitive look on her face, as if she had plans that involved Chester somehow. Timmy felt a strange sudden strange chill in the night. Would this nightmare never end?

But then she started to leave. "Come now, A.J. It's now time to go."

"Bye," A.J. said rather sheepishly before leaving with Catherine in her car.

Timmy watched them drive down the street. "That woman is evil."

Cindy whacked him on the back of the head. "You can't say something like that about someone."

"My babysitter is also evil."

"Well if you really knew them…."

Trixie snorted. "This isn't getting us anywhere." She stood up. "I'm going to meet my new parents. I suggest that you do the same, Timmy Turner, er, Tang."

Timmy clenched his fists. "I don't care what A.J.'s findings say. They're still my parents. And Mr. Tang is still your dad, Trixie." He started to walk off. "Let's just bring this to their attention before we do anything _too_ hasty."

"You're right, Timmy. But…." Trixie was blushing when Timmy looked back. "But shouldn't we gather up all the evidence first?"

Timmy blushed back. "Oh yes. Of course."

-OOO-

Cindy was certain that she had had a hand somewhere in this debacle. It was just a small hand though. The bulk of the responsibility clearly lay in Timmy's hands. He was the idiot who had dragged her to this crazy, mixed-up town in the first place by dropping those fairies into her world and arousing her curiosity.

And he wasn't too meticulous with his helping Trixie either. Distracted eyes were hardly a safe habit when handling fragile vials containing blood and toxic chemicals. His "love" for Trixie was simply sickening. It just reminded Cindy too much of Sheen's nauseating crush on Libby. (Though things were made worse as Cindy suspected that Libby loved him back. What did a fine, intelligent girl like that ever see in a cartoon-hero-worshipping slacker like that? Britney would be a better match for that loser!)

But at least he was actually helping. Chester was who-knows-where doing who-knows-what with who-knows-who.

Typical boy. Thinking of only himself and not of others.

Cindy glanced at the clock. It was already past midnight. "Guys, is this going to take much longer? I think I had better head on home soon."

"Don't worry," Trixie assured her without looking up from her work. "We're almost done here. You go on ahead."

"On second thought, I'll stay right here."

"All right." Cindy scowled. Something was going on with those two and Cindy didn't like it one bit. She was going to stick around and keep her eye on things.

Things progressed quickly from there. Everyone very carefully and swiftly cleaned up A.J.'s lab, and in no time, with papers and charts in hand, they were ready to show Timmy's and Trixie's parents what A.J. had just discovered. The news just was too important to wait until morning.

As they went to leave, Cindy realized something. "Has anyone seen where Chester had run off to?"

That question wasn't answered the way that she was expecting it to be answered.

A dark spot suddenly appeared in the floor under Timmy's feet. But before Cindy could say anything it suddenly opened up wider and Timmy started to fall. "Timmy!" Without thinking she reached out so she could clutch his arm.

A second or two passed where she didn't think she would quite reach him.

But she did reach him. Barely.

"Okay, Timmy. I've got you." She tried to get a better hold of him, but couldn't quite make it.

"It sure doesn't feel like it!"

"Don't worry, Timmy. I'll get you out." She turned to Trixie to ask her for help. But she was no longer there. "Trixie, where are you!"

Nobody answered. Cindy swore. "Where did that little wench go?"

Timmy's continued to slip from Cindy's. "This isn't good."

"Tell me about it."

"Just hang in there, Timmy. I can pull you up."

Timmy slipped from Cindy's grasp before she could get a good enough hold to pull him up. "Timmy!" she screamed. But there was nothing she could to stop him from disappearing from sight. And into the darkness.

Cindy growled. "That Trixie girl is going to pay."

-OOO-

"This is just divine punishment for all your foul deeds that you have committed, you foul demon!" Madam Foster was practically foaming at the mouth now, and, what was worse, Vicky's nose started to itch.

"What are you talking about? I'm no demon!"

"So says the demon."

Vicky narrowed her eyes at her. "What makes you think I'm a demon anyway? What did I ever do to you?" She has tied up to an old wicker chair so there wasn't much more that she could do to them. Which was probably their whole plan in the first place.

"You're taking to take the place of my precious Frankie. What did you do to her!"

Vicky narrowed her eyes at them. "I never done anything to her," she growled. And pounded her feet against the carpet. "And I'm not a demon!"

"So like a demon."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're all liars."

"Ho-kay." The old woman was obviously a few tacos sort of a fiesta and she didn't seem to have budged on her opinion on Vicky any, so she had to reason with this madwoman. Somehow. "Look, lady, I haven't got all night to-"

"It's past midnight. It's morning already."

Vicky looked out the window and saw that it was still dark. "What are you talking about? It looks like night to me."

Madam Foster shrugged. Indifferently. "If you say so, demon."

"I'm not a demon!" Vicky said, pounding her heels on the floor.

The room became silent. Very silent.

Vicky gulped.

"There is one way of telling if you're a demon or not," Madam Foster finally said.

"What is it?" Vicky asked eagerly.

"You're not going to like it…."

"I don't care. Just do it already." She was getting more than a little tired of having to tell this crazy old biddy that she wasn't a demon every five seconds. Anything had to be better than this.

She just hoped that it would be quick.

Without warning, Madam Foster unceremoniously flipped the chair back and Vicky suddenly found herself on her back, feeling very vulnerable. And just as suddenly she felt something sharp jab into her foot.

And her foot began to be sore. "Ow!"

After that little test, Vicky was set upright again. "Good news, young lady." Madam Foster nodded. And that rabbit guy went to work on freeing Vicky from her bounds. "You're not a demon after all."

"I already know that," Vicky growled. She examined her foot. The pinprick that Foster had gave her was already welling up blood. "Was that really necessary?"

"Yes I'm afraid so. Demons don't bleed."

"How would you know?" Vicky snapped at her.

Madam Foster didn't answer. Naturally. Instead she was conferring with her little friend about… something. Vicky couldn't hear what they were talking about. They had their backs turned to her and they were whispering. Almost enough to get a girl thinking that they were conspiring against her. "You mind letting _me_ in on the gag?"

Madam Foster looked up. "There's a scar on your lower tummy, dearie. Would you mind showing us it?"

"Excuse me?"

"Go ahead. Show me. I may know a little about it."

"Fine. Whatever." She bunched up her, or rather Frankie's, nightgown over her waist and pushed down her panties just far enough for Madam Foster and Mr. Herriman to see the scar that had been bugging her for so long. And just as Vicky had remembered, there was no hair in the area. "See?" she said. "It's just a line on my belly."

"Oh, no," Madam Foster said, shaking her head, "it's much more than that I'm afraid."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's a message. To me."

"What! Who could have possibly left such a thing in such a place on my body without my knowing it? And who have cut it on _my_ body?"

"Why, Vicky-dear, I believe that it was you."

Vicky curled her lip. "Now why would I carve a message on my flesh for you of all people? I don't know even know who you are!"

"That we shall see. That we shall see." Madam Foster laughed a little. "At least look on the bright side. I no longer think that you're trying to kill me." Then she really began to laugh.

"Just great," Vicky muttered to herself. "The crazy woman is now on my side." She returned her clothing to its original position and covered up the scar again. "Okay, since you are smart, then what does it tell you?"

Madam Foster closed her eyes and shook her head slowly. "No, that is something _you_ must remember what it says."

"What are you _blather_ing about now?"

"You'll see," Madam Foster said as she was leaving the room. "You'll see."

The big bunny said, after Madam Foster had left, "She gets that way sometimes, I'm afraid."

"Sometimes? I thought she was like that _all_ the time."

"Not at all, miss. Not at all." And then he too left.

Figures.

But hey, at least the pain was gone. Vicky didn't know what she would done if it had continued much longer than it had.

But now it was something else that really bothered her. How was that the pain had stopped when the old lady paid her a visit?

That old bat was obviously a demon.

-OOO-

The last that Trixie expected when she woke up was to find a cute boy from her class named Timmy Turner laying next to her on her bed. True he was lying on _top_ of the sheets and not under them, where she was. That would have been truly inappropriate. But it was hardly appropriate for a girl and a boy of their age to lie in the same bed together. And just what he was doing all the way out here in the first place? It was clear on the other side of the state!

Or so she had assumed. Maybe he had come all this way here without her knowing it.

But why would he do a thing like that for?

She did the polite thing and pushed him off the bed. "What the heck are doing on my bed, Timmy Turner?"

He appeared to be a little groggy as he got back up. But that could have all been act. He had after all manage to sneak into her bed without her knowing it. He must have been _really_ sneaky. "What's going on?"

"You snuck until my bed without my permission, you little sneak!" She brought the blanket up to her chin to cover herself up even though the nightgown she was wearing was quite tasteful. "What do you have to say so for yourself?"

"Trixie," he asked in amazement, "what are you doing here?"

"Visiting my grandmother if you must know."

"Your grandmother? I thought she had died at the-"

"My other grandmother, you lamebrain!" She threw off her covers and began to drag Timmy Turner away by the collar. "Let's just see what Dad and Grandma have to say about this, shall we?"

-OOO-

Timmy had a feeling that he has about to get into a big shipload of trouble as he watched himself be dragged on his butt out of the room by Trixie Tang. And he hadn't done anything! He was now even convinced than ever that girls were out to get him. Especially the ones he had a crush on! "Come on, Trixie! Can't I just walk to them?"

"No."

"Why not?" His voice sounded a little whiney to his ears, but he was in no position to care.

"Because you're being punished, stupid."

"Oh." A beat later. "For what?"

"For sneaking into my bed, you little cretin."

"But I didn't sneak into your bed. Honest. I just-" He then noticed the hallway that he was being dragged. It wasn't Trixie's house. In fact he didn't think that it was someplace that he had ever been before. "Say, just where are we anyway?"

"My grandmother's house."

"Oh. That would explain a few things."

Trixie stopped just as she reaching the stairs that led to the first floor. "What is that supposed to mean, hmm?" she asked without looking at him.

"Oh… nothing."

Trixie shot back him a look before continuing her way down the stairs. Timmy braced himself for the inevitable butt bouncing that was about to come his way.

When it didn't come, he looked up in surprise. Trixie had, for some reason, had stopped right in her tracks. Timmy looked up, dreading the worst.

He didn't know what he had been expecting, but he certainly wasn't expecting to find Trixie stopped at the threshold to the stairs down to the first floor looking like she had seen a nerd in her house. "What's the matter, Trixie?"

"Hello, Grandfather."

"Your grandfather?" Timmy wondered. "What's so big about-"

Trixie shushed him with a look. Apparently it really was a big deal after all. Timmy had thought that Trixie's grandfather was dead too, but apparently this was her _other_ grandfather.

An old man appeared on the stairs. "It's been a while, hasn't it, Trixie?"

Trixie nodded. "Yes. It has. Where have you been all those years? I've waited and waited for you to return. But you never came back. I missed you!" She began to cry. But just a little.

He gave her a lopsided smile. "It's a bit complicated."

"Try me." Despite the tears, she looked very serious.

-OOO-

This wasn't going to end well. Jimmy could tell that much at least.

It had turned out that he and Frankie weren't all alone in that house after all. A panther prowled the halls of the house that they had decided to stay the night in. He didn't look immediately dangerous. But you never do know about these things.

He hadn't been the only one who had been surprised when the panther had invited them to stay over for breakfast. Surely that wasn't something that happened everyday in these parts! Then he reminded himself. He was probably a laboratory creation. Jimmy had created weirder things in his career.

Frankie swallowed the toast that she had been chewing. "So you knew that we've been here all along?"

"I knew that I had company, but I didn't know who you were."

"And you didn't mind?" Jimmy wondered.

"Not at all," their host chuckled. "As you can see for yourself, I can certainly take care of myself. And besides I don't much worth stealing." He laughed heartily. It wasn't quite a roar, but it was awfully close for Jimmy's liking. It made it painfully clear that they were in the presence of a predator.

"I suppose that's true," Jimmy admitted."

"What's the matter, Jimmy? You look nervous."

"I'm not nervous. Why should be I nervous? There's nothing to be nervous about."

"Are you sure, Jimmy?" Frankie looked at him with concern. "You do look nervous."

"I'm fine!"

"You needn't worry about me," the panther guffawed. "My bark's worse than my bark!"

"Are you sure?"

"Can't you tell?" Frankie asked.

Jimmy shook his head.

"Look at him. He's perfectly harmless."

Jimmy did, but their host still looked very threatening to him. Why couldn't see Frankie see it? This panther was a threat to them all.

-OOO-

Timmy had never though he would be invited to have breakfast with Trixie's family. But he was a little uncomfortable with the topic being discussed. His immediate future. He didn't know what sort of punishment lay ahead for him. Come on! It wasn't even his fault. He tried protesting this fact to Trixie's family, but they just didn't seem very interested in hearing his side of the story. Not that he blamed them of course. Even he would take Trixie's version of events over someone like him. That didn't mean that it was any fair though.

And what was with the cold porridge anyway? Couldn't the Tangs think of something, anything, else to serve for breakfast? Mankind had yet to come up with a breakfast more disgusting than cold porridge. Perhaps this was the punishment they had for him.

But they were eating it too. That probably meant that the porridge wasn't the punishment that they had in mind for him. Probably. Besides the Tangs didn't seem the kind to punish kids with food.

So what punishment lay in store for him?

It was clear what retribution Trixie had in mind for him, judging by the nasty look on her face. It was at times like this that Timmy wondered why he ever found her attractive at all. But then usually that look on her face passes and she's pretty once more. He hoped that would happen right just then. A PO'ed Trixie just wan't pretty.

"So, young man," Trixie's granddad asked, "what brings you by so early in the morning?"

Timmy had to swallow the pancakes that he was chewing. "I don't know. I just sort of fell…. Onto Trixie's bed."

"From where?"

"From A.J.'s house."

"And who is this A.J?"

"A friend."

"Ah, I see."

"Oh, please, Grandpa," Trixie said, her scowl deepening, "he's obviously lying. He's just some pervert who just wanted to sleep with me." Timmy nearly choked on his pancakes when he heard _that_. "And now he's trying to smear the name of that great humanitarian A.J. Sanchez!"

Sanchez? I thought his last name was Abraham. And how did Trixie know about A.J.'s humanitarian work? And wasn't Trixie just at A.J.'s? All those questions swirling around Timmy's head upset his stomach.

"See? He's not even trying to deny it! The little creep."

Did she really have to add that part? "I was just surprised. That's all."

"Oh? And why were you surprised? Hmm? Everyone knows who A.J. Sanchez is."

"Who is he then?" Perhaps it was a different A.J. that Trixie was talking about. Although he had only heard of the one A.J. Though he was beginning to have doubts about exactly where he was.

"What do you care! You're just a big, fat pervert!"

Timmy poked at his stomach. "You think I'm fat?"

"Oh please," Trixie muttered, rolling her eyes.

Trixie's dad patted them both on the back. "You two will get along fine."

"No we don't. We hate each other!" She sounded very vehement about. Timmy began to wonder if she was protesting a little too much.

-OOO-

With a flick of the wrist, Vicky had finally managed to break into Frankie's room. She had tried to get in as soon as she got here, but for some reason the old bat had locked the door. Apparently long before Vicky had even showed up.

She returned the hairpin back into her hair and gently turned the doorknob. She moved cautiously. For all she knew the door could have been booby-trapped as well as locked. She pushed the door open slowly, bracing herself. But nothing seemed to happen as the door opened enough for Vicky to enter the room. But she didn't let the harmless appearance fool her. The room could still be laced with deadly traps.

She crept in. The secret to her sister's whereabouts were somewhere in this room and she wasn't about to let some crazy, old bat stop her.

She wasn't going to let anything stop her.

Once inside she debated where to search first. The computer in the corner would have seemed an inviting target, people have all sorts of secrets stored in them, but unfortunately Vicky knew nothing about computers. She wasn't even sure that she would be able to tell if it's on or not. She probably look elsewhere. But where? Nothing looked immediately obvious.

"Well," she reminded herself, "no one had ever said that this would be easy." Of course she hadn't asked anyone for their opinion, but that was beside the point.

She started her search with the bed. It was a good enough place to start as any other.

She was looking for anything that might help her. But she was hardly prepared for what she did find when she pulled off the covers:

An envelope.

With her name on its front.


	18. When the Past Comes to Haunt You

Jimmy Neutron and Fairly Oddparents copyright Viacom

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends copyright Time-Warner

Chapter 18: When the Past Comes to Haunt You

Posted: 2 Mar 2010

Tootie watched from the door as Timmy approached his babysitter. Hopefully things will work _this_ time. She had been working on him all night just to reach this point. Despite the cost to her heart.

Timmy's babysitter was busy in the kitchen, making lunch for everyone, all the while humming merrily to herself. Another reminder, if she actually needed one, that this wasn't Vicky.

He seemed to be reluctant to get closer to his babysitter. So Tootie had to nudge him along. But otherwise the plan seemed to be working perfectly. Of course it wasn't much of a plan. Just get Timmy to admit his feelings for his babysitter and go from there. Hey, it was the best she could come up with on such short notice. But it was so simple, what could possibly go wrong?

Miss Spain looked up from the table where she was preparing sandwiches as they approached her. "Oh my. You two must be more hungry than I thought."

"Well not really. Timmy here has something that he wants to tell you. Don't you, Timmy?"

He remained as stiff as a pretzel as ever. Tootie sighed. Why was she even bothering to hook him up with his babysitter if he just doesn't do anything for himself? Was he even in love with his babysitter in the first place? He had to be. He only got that way around _her_. "Don't you, Timmy?" Tootie emphasized.

"Yes. You're a very good babysitter, Vicky!"

Tootie winched. Must he call her that?

Oh well.

At least it was a good start.

-OOO-

There was more traffic on the highway than what Trixie's dad had thought that there would be. And Trixie herself was stuck in the backseat with that Timmy kid. She _would_ have preferred him giving googly eyes to her. Instead he was doing his best to ignore her. It was so… so insulting! Why wasn't he trying to pester her? Like he always did.

And where had her grandmother run off to? It was so unlike her to disappear like that.

She didn't like it. Any of it. Things were rapidly falling apart and no one seemed to notice. Especially her father, the one person she had learned after the years to depend on. The one who was supposed to take care of her since the time her mother had left them.

As she watched the cars that shared the highway with them, she wondered if she had ever seen that green BMW that was just outside of her window before. Though she was sure that she would have remembered the Southern Belle driving it. Or least someone who dressed up like one. Because who dressed like that nowadays? I mean, really. And what's with the Grandma glasses?

Soon, however, something else caught her attention. The wooded area that they had been passing through had just turned into commercial district. And Trixie's favorite restaurant appeared: Taco Horn. Why couldn't they be going there, or someplace like it, instead of to some stupid theme park?

It didn't matter that she had been looking forward it to when she had come to town. Heads were about to roll.

"Is there anything wrong, honey?" her father asked from the front seat.

Trixie continued staring out of the window, watching the traffic go by. The blue car was no longer visible. "Nothing that _you_ would listen to."

"That's not fair!" Trixie jumped. She had been expecting that Timmy would be off in his own little world. Not actually paying attention to their conversation! "Your dad has been working hard for you. Providing for you and-"

"Oh yeah? What do you know? You don't know me. You don't know Dad. You don't know us at all. You're just a stranger! You don't know us at all!"

"Yeah that's showing him, Trixie-dear," her grandpa chuckled. "Though I suspect that he knows more about us than he's been letting on."

It really didn't help with Trixie's distemper to see Timmy grinning ruefully. "So you have been spying on us, Timmy Turner!"

"Look, I can explain this. You'll have to trust me on this."

"Ha! Like that will ever happen!"

There was an odd glint in his eyes. "Do you ever suppose that you have been switched at birth?"

"Excuse me!"

-OOO-

"Are you sure that it's all right for him to watch _that_ show?" Tootie asked Timmy's babysitter as they sat around the kitchen table sipping tea. The show in question had too much violence _and blood_ for Tootie's delicate sensibilities.

"But _Maho Mushi_ is a great program, Tootie. It's how I learned all my babysitter techniques."

"Oh?" Tootie felt a chill up her spine. She remembered _Vicky_ making a similar statement. And look how well _that_ turned out.

"Yes. Nami is an inspiration to babysitters everywhere."

Tootie nodded. She knew the character that the babysitter was talking about. She was nice enough. She was the one who tended everyone's wounds after a battle. She was a very sweet girl.

Unlike some girls that Tootie knew….

The phone rang, interrupting their discussion.

The babysitter got up to answer it. "Tootie? Yeah, she's here." She handed it to Tootie. "He wants to a word with you."

"Who is it?"

"A Jimmy Neutron."

Tootie shook her head. "I'm not here."

"What's wrong, Tootie? He seems to be nice enough boy."

"That's not the problem." Jimmy wasn't the object of her crush. Timmy was. Not the sitting in the next room. _Her_ Timmy.

"Oh?"

Tootie was upset. "Hey, it's not I ran away from him or anything!"

"Oh. I see." Into the phone, "I'm sorry. My mistake. It seems that she isn't here at the moment. But she will be back later. Could you please leave a message? Uh-huh…. Uh-huh…. No…. Yes…. Possibly…. She should be back shortly." She hung up. "He told me to tell you to come over to 1123 Wilson Way. There seems to be a panther problem there."

"I'm sure he can take care of it himself." Pause. "Did you say 1123 Wilson Way?"

"Yes, is there a problem?"

Tootie shook her head. "No. Not really." That was the same address of the home for imaginary friends in that last world. Was there a connection? Was or this just some kind of coindence? "There's no problem."

"Okay, if you're sure…."

"I'm sure." It had to be a coincidence.

She lowered her voice. "You love him, don't you? Timmy I mean."

"What? Why would you think such as a thing?"

"Oh… just a feeling."

"No," Tootie said wistfully. "Just someone who looks an awful lot like him."

"Ooh? Who is this secret crush of yours? Unless of course it's a secret and you don't want to share."

Tootie shook her head. She didn't want to share this particular tidbit with anyone who even in the slightest way resembled her mean older sister. Let alone with someone who looked exactly like her!

The babysitter patted her shoulder. "That's all right, Tootie. I understand perfectly."

"You do?"

"Sure do." She leaned forward so that they were eye-to-eye. "Now do you want to help me make some cookies?"

"Yeah!" Tootie smiled warmly as they went to the kitchen. For the first time in her life Tootie felt like she was home.

-OOO-

"What the hell!"

Vicky felt a tingling sensation in the back of her neck as she picked up the envelope from the bed. She took a closer look at it. Yep. No doubt about it. She hadn't been imagining it. It was her name. Vicky Spain. But who could have known that she would sneak into here? Certainly not the _real_ owner of this room. She had disappeared long before Vicky had ever arrived at this house.

It was, she decided, the old lady.

The old crow had been on to her ever since the beginning, ever since she had shown at the front door, even she been pretending to fell for it. The crafty ole biddy was definitely up to something. Surely it would be but a small matter to find out it was. No one, kid or old grandma, can keep their secrets from Vicky Spain for very long.

No one.

She tore open the envelope. And didn't find what she was expecting to find inside. There was just a little card that a single, solitary word on it:

Temple.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She sneered at it. How was this supposed to help her?

"What's that you got there, Frankie?"

Vicky jumped.

And immediately faced her intruder. "Do you want to _die_?" She snapped at the blue blobby thing that stood before her. It didn't seem all the intimated at her. In fact he seemed to enjoying himself. Very much. Was she losing her touch?

She shook her head. No, that wasn't the reason. He just hasn't spent enough time with yet. He'll learn better. "Yeah, what do you want?"

"You seem troubled."

"Don't be absurd. I'm perfectly all right!"

The kid didn't speak.

"Pffft. Whatever." Vicky resumed her search. For what, she wasn't sure. But it sure did beat dealing with some bratty seven-year-old.

"You aren't going to find it."

She groaned. "What did I ever do to deserve this?"

"You just broke into Frankie's room. That's what you did."

"What do you mean I'm not Frankie?"

The brat gave a look. An experated one.

Vicky huffed. "Well. It's not certainly not _my_ fault that you're stupid."

"Ha! Frankie would never ever talk like that?"

"You wanna bet?"

"You don't even know her! She disappeared before you even showed up."

Vicky leaned in closer and whispered into his ear. "How do you that I didn't have something to do with her disappearance?"

The boy froze.

Vicky grinned to herself. She wasn't losing her touch after all.

-OOO-

Cindy smiled at her little ones as they played with blocks on the floor. Surely there were no babies cuter than these ones. They had no need for clothes, and they seemed to be building a little village with the blocks they were playing with. As they built more and more elaborate structures, Cindy was struck with how dexterous these little toddlers were.

She seen these babies somewhere before, but she just couldn't remember where. She smiled to herself. Of course she had seen them before. They were her babies. They had always been with her. And they always will be.

The boy with the swirly brown hair, the one she had named Jimmy, stood up. Gracefully, not like his usual manner at all. "Look at I made, Miss Cindy!"

_Miss_, Cindy mused to herself. _I like the sound of that._ "What did you make?"

"This!" He showed her what had to be one of his many wondrous inventions. It was a box with big red button on the top and flashing red lights up and down the sides. His thumb was poised over the button. "You wanna try it out?"

"But what does it do, Jimmy?"

"You wanna see?"

"_What does it do?_" Cindy's voice was growing more frantic.

"Let's find out!"

"_But what does it do!_"

Jimmy pressed the button.

And nothing happened.

Cindy began to breathe a little easier. She had been a little nervous of what that one little button might have been capable of doing. Jimmy was capable of creating some pretty amazing inventions. His Hypercube comes to mind.

Suddenly a dark spot appeared in the middle of where the babies where playing. At first it didn't seem to be much of anything. Just black dot on the floorboards. Might even been a wee spill.

But then it started growing.

Cindy watched in horror as it began swallowing the babies one by one. It started with Libby, and then it got Carl and Sheen. Nobody seemed to notice their friends were falling into the hole. AND NOBODY SEEMED TO NOTICE!

She ran to save the remaining two, but the hole kept getting bigger and bigger and BIGGER.

Just before falling in with the rest of them, Timmy smiled at Cindy and tossed over to her a gift-wrapped _something_ to her. "Here, Miss Cindy. I made this for you." Just the hole expanded under him, he threw it toward Cindy. "You will need this."

Cindy screamed.

When she was woken she still had trouble believing that what she had just went through was all just a dream. Especially since that was that Trixie girl who had shaken her awake. "Has something happened?" And where were you when Timmy disappeared?

"I'll say. You've must have been a particularly bad dream. You were screaming and thrashing all over the bed."

Cindy blushed. "You must have been worried." She looked away the room. "Say, where did A.J. go? This _is_ his bedroom, isn't it?"

"Well… he had to go use… the facilities."

"Ah." So even geniuses had to use the bathroom, eh? From the way that Jimmy spoke, you would think that he never had to use it. Of course having a big head could lead to… having a big head. "When do you think he will be back?"

"I really don't know. He left in quite a hurry. And it was some time ago. It must have an emergency."

They waited.

A strange ticking sound started somewhere. It wasn't very loud. But it soon it started to bug her. "Do you hear that, Trixie?"

"I'm sure that it's nothing. I wouldn't worry about it."

"But-"

"A.J. has tons of inventions. It's probably one of them."

"True enough." She dropped the legs over the edge of the bed. "Let's not waste our time here. Not when there's so much to do." She began grinning. "There's no way that the Turners are your parents."

"I know that!"

"Don't you want to prove that they aren't?"

"It's _his_ job to prove that they _are_ my parents in the first dang place!"

Cindy blushed. "There's really no need for such _language_. What if Chester was here?"

"I _am_ here." Chester was standing at the door as if he had been standing there throughout the entire conversation.

"Oh hello, Chester." Cindy stood up. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Not long enough apparently. What did I miss?"

"Not much," Trixie said dryly. "We were just talking about A.J., our host here. Is he done with the bathroom yet?"

"How should I know? I just left to swipe some snacks from Mrs. A.J."

"Oh? Do you bring enough for the rest of us? Hmm?"

"Why should I do something like that?"

Trixie gave him a look.

"Fine. I will get some for you too."

It turned out that Chester didn't need to answer Trixie's question.

A.J. returned, mumbled to himself and jotting something onto a pad of paper with a pretty fancy-looking pen. It looked sort of… familiar. "Say, A.J.," Cindy asked. "What's up with the pen?"

"I got it!"

"You got what?"

"I know how to find Timmy!"

-OOO-

Libby's side was aching by the time she reached the house where Frankie and Jimmy were. "I found them! I found them! I found them!"

Frankie didn't look very happy when she met Libby at the front door. "What kept you? And more importantly what were you doing?"

"Cassandra just wanted my help picking up her daughter from the airport."

"Oh."

"I don't know though. Do you really think that this girl really wants to date Jimmy?"

Frankie narrowed her eyes. "Why? Is there something wrong with her?"

"It's not that. Exactly."

"Oh. I see."

"It's not _that_."

"Oh? What would _that_ be?"

"Never mind that. She's on her way-"

"I'm here already. Jeez." A young blonde about Libby and Jimmy's age was standing on the front walk. "This is the place, huh?"

Frankie nodded. "Come on in. I'm Frankie Foster and I'm glad that you have the chance to stay with us."

The girl smiled back. "Thank you. I'm Cindy Vortex by the way. I hope that I won't be staying too long. There's something that I need to do."

"I know what you mean."

As they went inside, Libby whispered to Frankie, "That's _Cindy Vortex_, Frankie. Her presence would only lead to more trouble."

"Yeah, that's her name. But what does that…. Oh, I see," she finished when she realized the import of Libby's words. "But I don't see what the problem is. It's not like they're actually in love with each other."

"This one is."

"Oh."

Cindy stopped by the easy chair. "Oh yes. Your two pals left me a message to give you."

"Carl and Sheen?" Frankie asked.

"Yeah. I guess so. Don't worry. They're all right."

Frankie turned to Libby, who nodded. Actually that was also what Libby was going to tell Frankie. And Jimmy, once she saw him. "Where's Jimmy?"

"Let's hold off seeing Jimmy for now, shall we?" Frankie countered.

"Is he busy?" Cindy sat down.

"You could say that."

-OOO-

Disgusted, Jimmy closed the last book. This wasn't getting him _anywhere_.

None of the books that panther guy showed him were of any help to him at all. Leo had sworn that these books would provide him with the key to getting Tootie reunited with her sister and everyone back home. They were books about inter-dimensional mechanics after all. But so far these books didn't tell him anything that he didn't already know. Finding a bedroom to study in would do you no good if you can't find the proper research materials.

They were books for children for pity's sake!

"Jeez, just because I'm a children, it doesn't mean I'm not also a super genius."

"Oh does it now?"

Jimmy sighed. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that it's rude to sneak up on people like that?"

"Yes I believe that has been mentioned to me before. From time to time."

Jimmy sighed. How can a big cat like him be possibly so dense? Aren't top predator species like him supposed to be really… with it? Perhaps Jimmy had been a little too hasty to labeling him as dangerous after all.

No, looking at him again, the feeling of danger returned. There was just something sinister about him….

"Can I help you with something?" The faster he got Leo out of there the better.

"Actually I came to see how you were doing. Is there a problem, Jimmy? You seemed to have stopped doing research."

"These books were written for children. I already know everything in them!"

"Aren't you a child?"

Jimmy gave a dirty look.

"Ah!" Leo paused. "Perhaps you would like access to my full library then?"

Jimmy nodded. "Yes. That would be fine." So he has been holding out on me then.

Somebody burst into the room without giving any warning first. It took Jimmy a moment that it was Libby. "Libby? Where were you?"

"Never mind that, Jimmy. There's trouble coming."

"Is it serious?"

"You could say that…."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"There's a girl named Cindy. And she, uh, wants to see you."

"You've been here all of two days and already you got admirers," Leo gushed. "What stud you!"

"Shut up!"

"Then should I tell you that you're coming to see her, Jimmy?" Libby asked. "I have to warn you though. She looks _awfully_ familiar."

"She looks like the Cindy from back home, doesn't she?"

"Huh-huh."

"No matter. I'm sure that I will be able to handle it."

Libby didn't seem to believe him. But no matter. He was a guy. He didn't need a _girl's_ support and/or faith. He could more than any _girl_ could. He got up. "We mustn't keep the old girl waiting."

"Funny you should mention it…."

"Huh?"

"How to explain this…."

"She can't be too ugly."

"Excuse me!"

"What else could the problem be?'

Libby rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. "Men!"

As they left the room, Jimmy turned to Libby. "Doesn't the talking panther bother you?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

"He sure bothers me."

Once Jimmy got a real good look at Cindy, he immediately saw the problem. Ugliness was hardly the problem. In fact this version of Cindy Vortex seemed to be about fourteen or fifteen and was more than a little… HOT! Jimmy just couldn't believe it. There was ain't no way that any Cindy Vortex in any universe could possibly be hot.

She was perfectly proportioned in every way, had smooth, milky skin and long, flowing hair and was wearing an outfit to emphasize both facts.

"Ho boy."

"I take it from your reaction that you approve of my appearance then?"

Jimmy nodded. "Have you found Carl and Sheen yet?"

"Yes. They're at Cassandra's house."

"Ah."

When they reached the living room, Jimmy found Cindy sitting next to Frankie on the couch. "Cindy, when did you get here?"

"So I see that I have been already introduced." Cindy looked at him so differently than he was used to. "You must be Jimmy then. You're much more handsome than I had been expecting."

"Ho boy."

-OOO-

"What's this doohickey supposed to do again?" Cindy wasn't too sure, as she hadn't had all that much attention with complex lab equipment, despite all her dealings with Jimmy, but she had never seen anything like it before in her life. It looked even more freaky and overly Rube-Goldbergian than any of the junk Jimmy had ever shown her. She could really believe that they had needed to go the basement for this.

The thing was about the size of a Mack Truck.

A.J. sighed. "As I told you before, Cindy. This will track the path that Timmy took as he fell between worlds."

"I know all that. What I'm getting is how that contraption of yours is supposed to do that. I mean how do you even know that he _did_ fall to another world?"

"Well considering that the hole simply appearing and disappearing like that…."

"I suppose so. But-"

"And I can track the energy trail between the worlds."

"You can do that?"

"Of course."

Trixie came running down the stairs. "They're here! They're here!"

"Who cares?" Cindy wasn't about to waste her time on any more of Trixie's _nonsense_. "Probably just the agents of Karma here to punish for what you did to Timmy. You skank."

"Excuse me!"

"You heard me." Cindy said it _very_ clearly. So that even a scad like Trixie could understand.

"What is your problem? I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Didn't do anything wrong? What do you call abandoning us when we needed you the most then? When Timmy fell through that portal?"

Trixie scowled at her. "I didn't do that! I was with you the whole time!"

"No you weren't!"

Before Trixie had the chance to reply, Timmy's parents came barging down the stairs. "What's this about Timmy not our son?" Mr. Turner hollered into the tiny, cramped basement.

"I certainly don't ever remember giving birth to a _girl_!"

"And neither do I!"

Cindy shot a hateful look at Trixie. "You told Timmy's _parents_?"

Trixie shrugged. "Why not? I told _my_ father. Why not them too?"

"You did what now?" Cindy's hands were starting to feel a little clammy. Things were certainly not looking up.

Timmy's mom was looking especially… not happy. "Where the proof of theses claims of yours, B.J.?"

"It's A.J., actually," A.J. said rather lamely.

"I don't care if your name is Adam. Why are you saying my son is not my son?"

"It's quite simple actually. It all started…."

Cindy groaned. Here we go again. Another big-headed boy geniuses going into one of his "stories" about how he had gotten inspired to create his latest invention. It was a bunch of hooey if you asked her. It was a bit disgusting really. But Cindy did know one thing.

"We're wasting far too much time arguing!" She clenched her fists. "Timmy's out there somewhere. In danger! And all we do is stand around here arguing. About crap! Nothing that couldn't wait until a more opportune time." She glanced in Trixie's direction, who blushed and turned away. "We need to get going! **Now!**"

"Timmy's in danger?" Mrs. Turner drew ever closer. "Why aren't we doing anything?"

"No reason." Trixie sat down on top of a soup crate. "We were about to open up a door to where Timmy went off to. Hopefully he's still there. But even if he's not, I'm sure that we have no problem tracking him down."

"That's good to hear." She nodded. "Then let's started, shall we?"

While A.J. immediately got to work, Cindy sat right next to Trixie on the crate. "I don't know how much time it takes Boy Genius here to work his magic. But this is what I think of this whole mess."

-OOO-

As Sheen watched the ceiling fan spin his mind began to wander down Memory Lane. And up and right and left and forward and backwards as well. Carl knew this because the other boy kept up a running commentary of the whole thing! "And remember when Jimmy used his Shrink Ray to get us away from those army ants?"

"Yes, Sheen, I remember. I was there _too_."

Cassandra smiled as she sipped her coffee. "Actually I find the story very interesting."

"Please don't get him started, Miss Cassandra. Once you get him started, he could go on like this for hours. Believe me. I know."

"I don't mind it at all."

He pounded the table. "Well I do! Was there something that you wanted to tell us, Miss Cassandra?"

"Well… _want_ would hardly be the word that I would use here."

Sheen stopped staring at the ceiling and started to actually pay attention to the conversation. "Ooh, did somebody mention _Forbidden Knowledge_? All right!" Sheen and Carl did a High-Five.

"It's not _forbidden_, per se," Cassandra said. "It's just it's something that I hesitate to bring up. It's kinda personal."

"Oh." Sheen sounded disappointed. Carl felt a bit disappointed as well. He didn't know why though. The last thing he wanted to do was to pry into the woman's secret love life. "We wouldn't want to pry."

"Sure we do," Sheen countered.

"It's none of our business, Sheen!"

Cassandra sighed. "Unfortunately it's something that you need to hear. If you wish to survive."

That really got their attention. Survival is usually something that would get _anyone_'s attention. "What is it?"

She lowered her voice so they had to lean their heads in closer so they could hear. "You're being followed." She hesitated. "By my sister."

"You have a sister?"

"Don't act so surprised, boys. After all, you hardly know me."

"True," Carl agreed.

"But when are you going to get to the good part?" Sheen demanded.

"Huh?"

"Where's it none of our business!"

"Oh. Right. That."

"I have a twin sister…. She's the one after you."

She showed them a photo.

-OOO-

Wally World turned out to be less interesting than he had originally had hoped it would be. But then again he was always overestimating how cool amusement parks were before he, you know, actually goes there. There were rides, games, shows and snack stands. It was true that it had everything that an amusement park should have, but the thing of it was that every other amusement park in the whole world also had them.

Though he supposed that having a black eye didn't help matters any.

Who would have thought Trixie would so sensitive about _that_?

The gift shop was hardly the place to find any sort of excitement, but Timmy just couldn't think any better place to go. Besides he might find something cool inside. It wasn't too likely, but anything was possible.

He looked and looked, but it took a while to find anything that he actually would buy. The store was filled with all sorts and manner of crap and doodads that he didn't need and/or want. But in the fifth aisle he looked in on the top shelf was something glorious.

A Trixie Tang bobble-head doll.

He couldn't believe that they would have something like that in a crummy amusement park gift shop. A bobble-head of the most beautiful girl in the world was standing here on the shelf just waiting for him to buy her. He quaked at the prospect of having Trixie Tang all for his very own. Or at least a reasonable likeness of the beauty.

The only reason for Timmy's hesitance was that he wasn't sure that he had enough money. He wasn't even sure how to count it. It sure didn't look like money. It was even the right color. Who had ever heard of _blue_ money? Money was supposed to green!

Oh well. Not everything could be perfect.

He slapped himself when he remembered that bills had numbers on them telling you their worth. That should have been a no-brainer, but for some reason it wasn't. Perhaps simply relying on the pictures on the front to tell him how much money he was holding wasn't the way to go after all. He counted it and arrived at a total of twenty-five dollars: exactly enough to buy the bobble-head.

He took it off the shelf and brought it to the front counter.

"As soon as you stepped into the store I knew this bobble-head was destined for your hands," the red-haired woman with a nametag saying Gladys behind the counter said when she saw Timmy.

"Yeah, yeah. Just get on with it already."

The lady rang up the sale. "I think it's yours."

"Huh? Why wouldn't it be? I just bought it, didn't I?"

"You paid for it, yes."

Still puzzling over the lady's comments, Timmy left the gift shop with his prize in hand. Was the shopkeeper out of his mind or something? It was a perfectly good bobble-head. Why was the cashier so reluctant to sell it to Timmy?

"Now that we're alone, sport," he heard Wanda say, "can you let out of the bottle now?"

"Wanda? Where are you?" Come to think of it, he hadn't seen her in a while. Or Cosmo for that matter. "Is Cosmo with you?"

"Of course, Timmy. Where else would I be?"

"We're in the bobble-head. Just remove the head and we can just pop out."

"Oh. Sure thing, Wanda." He paused. "Can I put the head back? I can't stand the idea of Trixie missing her head."

"Of course, Timmy. We both know how you love her.

After removing the head from the doll and his fairy's reappearance, Timmy immediately replaced the head. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that it fit perfectly. He looked at Wanda with a raised eyebrow. "So you made this just for me, huh?"

"Well it's the only way we could think of to get back to you after you disappeared like that."

"That wasn't my fault!"

"We know, sweetie. But we had to find you. You were probably in some kind of trouble."

"That makes sense. Now could you get me back home?"

"We can't, Timmy. We're cut off from Fairy World."

Timmy's brain sort of switched off at that point.

-OOO-

Trixie didn't even need to tell herself that the happy couple in front of her weren't her parents. There was absolutely no way that it could possibly be true. Douglas was her father, and he will always be. The Turners couldn't possibly be her parents.

Especially since they still couldn't get it through their thick skulls that their son was really missing!

Though the humming coming from A.J.'s machine was certainly a promising development. Though Trixie did wish she knew what the humming meant. She was so unfamiliar with such things that it wasn't even funny.

"Dude, what did I miss?" Chester was standing by their crate, having appeared from… wherever.

Trixie sighed. "Chester, you have a strange sense of timing. A.J.'s about to start up the machine."

"Machine, huh? I would have thought that he would have used some kind of magic wand or something."

"Magic wand? Everyone _knows_ that there's no such thing as _magic_. Right, Cindy?"

Cindy simply nodded, instead giving a more eunthanstic response like Trixie had been expecting. "Cindy, is there anything wrong?"

She shook her head. "No. It's nothing."

"If you're sure…."

"I am."

Trixie drew out a breath. "Is this because I 'disappeared'?" Here she used air-quotes. "Is that it?"

"It's part of it. Though your lying about it doesn't help things."

"I'm _not_ lying!" She got a flash. A flash of _something_, but it was gone before she could see what it was. She paid no attention to it. It couldn't possibly anything that she should be concerned just then. "Why won't you ever listen to me?!"

"You weren't with us when Timmy disappeared, Tang! What was I supposed to think?"

"I _didn't_ disappear. I remained by your side the whole time."

"No you weren't!"

"As much I enjoy a good chick fight now and again," Chester said, "but I think that A.J.'s waving for our attention. **BRRRP!**"

"Ah is it ready now?" Upon A.J.'s nodding yes, Cindy stood. "I guess that we should put this matter aside for the moment. Eh, Trixie?"

"Yes." Trixie nodded. "Later." She returned Cindy's stare.

A.J. threw one last, final lever. "Okay. I think I have it running now."

"You _think_?" Cindy retorted. "Those aren't exactly encouraging words, bucko!"

"Oh." He thought for a second. "I _definitely_ got it now. Is that better?"

"Yes. Very much so."

"To get back to the subject, ladies, we're about to get started." The machine _really_ got started now. The many cogs and wheels began moving, various lights lit up, and Trixie began to feel a stirring in the pit of her stomach. If she weren't so excited by the prospect finding Timmy safe and sound, she would have been worried that she was going to be sick.

She still had one worry though. "Are you sure that this is going to work? It doesn't look very safe!"

"Don't you worry your pretty head none, Trixie," Chester assured her. "A.J. knows what he's doing!"

"I trust you even less!"

Cindy looked at her skeptically. "Weren't you a little more gung-ho about this a little earlier?"

There was now an odd thrumming sensation in the room. "Is this a good thing?"

A.J. smiled back. "It mostly certainly is. It's about to bring us to where Timmy is!" He turned to the Turners. "Anyone who's not going should leave the room now."

"We're not going anywhere," Mrs. Turner announced. "Our son's missing. And you're suggesting that we don't help find him?!"

"That's right," her husband added. "There's no way that we're not going to be part of this endeavor."

A.J. was watching his watch. "You still a _little_ time to back out."

The Turners didn't budge an inch.

Several moments passed before A.J. finally nodded. "Very well. There's no longer no enough time for you head up the stairs and leave the basement before we leave."

"What's going to happen when we go, A.J.?" Cindy asked.

He shrugged. "I don't know. I never sent anyone to another dimension before."

Cindy was about to say something, but Trixie never found out it was. A bright flash appeared. And everything was gone. Just gone.

-OOO-

Vicky sat back as she watched the twerp make a ham and turkey sandwich. He was making it perfectly, but she wasn't about to let _him_ know that. "Not enough mayonnaise! Slather more on."

"Yes, Frankie." Vicky had taught him to call her Frankie. Never mind the old biddy didn't seem to have fallen for it. Nobody but that stupid rabbit seemed to have noticed. Vicky had even gotten him to stop him from doing that strange emphasis of his.

Sure enough, the twerp put on too much mayo. "You put too much on, twerp!" She kicked him for emphasis.

"But I'm doing the best I can!"

"Well, it's just not good enough then. Do it better!"

"You mean I have to do it all over again?" He sounded a little sullen there. Had better do something about it.

"What do you think, twerp?"

"Er…."

"Exactly. And make it snappy!"

"And what do I do with this one?"

"Toss it into the trash for all that I care!"

Sighing, he pushed the sandwich he had been working on aside and got up to get a new plate. Vicky wished that he wouldn't do that. The old plate was perfectly good enough. Why couldn't he use that one?

The blasted kid must have been planning to eat the old sandwich. Bastard.

Vicky was about to dump it into the trash when that blue blob thing came waltzing into the kitchen. "Frankie, I'm hungry! Can you make a ham and cheese sandwich?"

She bit her tongue. She couldn't very well tell him that she wasn't Frankie when she had started _dressing_ like her, now could she? Instead she handed him the sandwich. At least that twerp won't be getting it. "Here. Knock yourself out."

He took the sandwich. "Thanks, Frankie." He left the room without looking back.

The twerp returned with the new plate. "You gave Bloo the sandwich." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah. So what of it?"

He hastily looked away. "Nothing."

Vicky grinned to herself. Now that the twerp was stopped, life could go on as normal. And just as promised he started work on the new sandwich. _Life is good!_

As the boy made Vicky another sandwich, she leaned back in the chair and basked in the love and attention that this twerp was giving her. The fact the love and attention were both forced was unimportant. She just liked having little twerp doing stuff for her. It was her rightful place as a teenager.

Just to while away the seconds before she got her sandwich, she began to sing.

It was a familiar song. One that she had heard long ago but couldn't quite place.

She didn't understand _any_ of the words. But that was hardly the point. The song spoke of new beginnings. Something that she could really use just about then if she ever wanted to see her sister any time soon.

"My I haven't heard that song since I was a little girl."

"Yeah? What do you know about it?" Vicky looked up and found the old bat entering the room with that kid with the boil and some kind of mechanical puppy thing. That's funny. She had thought that Boil-kid had gone off with Tootie.

"I know that it's called Vicky's Song, my dear. Could it have anything to do with you, I wonder?"

"But that's-" It had been the song she had sung to get here. She stared straight into the old lady's eye. "Who the hell _are_ you?"

The old lady sighed. "That, my dear, is a long, long story." She started pulling on Vicky's sleeve. "Come with me to my office. It's about time you heard it. It involves you."

-OOO-

It had taken a while, but Timmy's mind was finally working again. "What do you mean you're cut off from the magic!?" He couldn't possibly have heard what he had thought he had heard.

"Not so loud, Timmy," Cosmo warned him. "Do you want everyone in the world hear you, discover you have fairy godparents and make us go away forever?"

Timmy studied his shoes. "No."

"Then keep it down."

"Does this mean that the lady behind the counter behind us too?"

Wanda nodded.

Timmy went running off into the store. Wanda tried to tell him something, but he didn't quite catch it. It must not have been very important.

But as soon as he rushed up to the counter, he found a pimply teenager instead of a woman. "What happened to Gladys?"

"Who?"

"The woman who was here before."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I've been here all day."

Timmy sighed. "Never mind."

He left the store, just as perplexed as ever.

Wanda and Cosmo were still waiting for him when he left the store. "What the hell the heck is going on here? The lady in there was suddenly replaced by some teenage. You suddenly show up." He looked sharply at his fairies. "Where were you guys? I was starting to get worried."

They began the grin sheepishly at him. Wanda started first. "We were kind of stuck back in Dimmsdale. The old Dimmsdale I mean," she hastily added. "Something was blocking us from getting back to you, but we couldn't tell what it was."

"So we called in the experts," Cosmo cheerfully supplied.

"The experts?"

"Never mind him, Timmy. He doesn't know what he's talking about. We didn't go see anyone."

"Oh, I see." He frowned. "But how did you get here then?"

"The expert came to see us!"

"Expert? What expert?"

Before Wanda could answer however, a scream pierced the air.

It sounded like Trixie.

Timmy started running toward it.

-OOO-

Trixie was already lost.

It wasn't her first time visiting this park either, so it really gotten her dander up that she had gotten herself lost so quickly. After all years of coming here with her family, you would have thought that she would have memorized the place already.

But apparently she hadn't.

She was resting on a bench, trying to get her bearings back. But for some reason she wasn't. Had the place changed that much since she had been there last? She knew that amusement parks changed all the time.

But this much? It was simply unheard of.

"You look lost, deary."

"I suppose." Trixie frowned as she studied the woman. She was a wearing a pink dress and the same glasses that her Grandma sometimes wore. Trixie knew she had seen this woman before from somewhere. But where? "I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name."

The woman laughed. "Isn't it a bit early to worry about that? You only just met."

"Oh. Right." Trixie blushed and fiddled with the hem of her skirt. "I'm Trixie, ma'am."

"Nice to meet you, Trixie. My name is Setsuna." She sat down next to Trixie. "Now where is it that you want to get to?"

Then Trixie remembered. "I've seen you before. You were driving down in the highway in an old BMW."

It was Setsuna's turn to blush. "I do like my classic cars."

"What are you doing here?"

"Why wouldn't I be here? This _is_ an amusement park."

Trixie nodded. And mentally kicked herself. "Could you help me find my friends?"

"Of course. Anything for you, my dear."

As they made their way through the not-quite-a-crowd, holding unto Setsuna's hand, Trixie began to feel a little uneasy. Everyone around was staring at her. Right at her. Whispering behind her make.

Judging her.

"Don't mind them, Trixie." Apparently Setsuna had noticed her discomfort. "They're all just jealous."

"They are?" Trixie nervously eyed the crowds, hoping that was true, but didn't see how it could be true. They seemed absolutely sure of their superiority over her.

Trixie didn't like it.

But soon they were past _those_ people and were among people who wouldn't give her a second glance. A blessed relief. And they were someplace that Trixie could recognize.

They were near that stupid roller coaster whose name Trixie could never remember.

They were halfway through making their search plans when Trixie heard a familiar voice. "Tsukiyomi?"

Trixie started to turn toward her grandmother to ask her repeat that, but she felt someone sweep her up in their arm and put her in a strong bear hug. "What the hell?"

"Ah, I thought we would run into each other, Sensei."

"Don't worry, Trixie dear. I'm sure that I will have you free soon." She drew a sword from a scabbard on her hip that Trixie had never seen before.

Setsuna pressed her sword firmly against Trixie's throat. "You were saying, Sensei?"

Trixie screamed.


End file.
